Tracy Tales
by MusicalTB2
Summary: Little stories revolved around the Tracy boys, rated M just in case and Virgil/Kayo pairing. I don't own the rights to Thunderbirds but Virgil is mine fictionally. A selection, some stories are set in the past some in the present.
1. Rooms

Tracy Island has a lot of rooms; bedrooms, living rooms, secret rooms. It's like room heaven. There has to be, nine people are living in the house. It's like a mansion but expanding upwards into the cliffs and wrapping lovingly into the landscape, housing hangars for the Thunderbirds and residents. The majority of the rooms are open to everyone but one resident has a room he likes to keep for himself, Virgil Tracy has a studio all to himself where he composes and what he loves most about it is that it's soundproof. On a sunny day, he is the only one who isn't outside by the pool or sunbathing, the sun shines through the studio windows casting golden light on his Steinway piano which takes up a solitary spot on the wooden floor and wires scatter the floor in all directions, and on a day like today, it is where he is currently with one other member of the family.

"Ready to record, Virgil," Kayo smiled as she checked the levels on the mixing desk as Virgil played scales to warm up.

"So am I."

Kayo smiled and closed off her microphone as she gazed at him behind the soundproof window, she pressed a button and the red light came on, she sat back in the cushioned chair and opened his channel to hear him play and nothing else, the music swelled around her and she turned the padding down on the pedal muting the clunk as she stood up to watch him swaying to the music he was playing, he looked up at her and smiled warmly making her heart flutter. Ten minutes later and he released the pedal, Kayo hit the record button and opened the door to the studio room, she ran over to him and hugged him tightly.

"That was so beautiful."

Virgil caught a tear on his finger and smiled, "that beautiful huh?"

"Your music always makes me cry," Kayo smiled as he held her against him, "what have you called that one?"

"Midnight meeting."

"And based on?" Kayo sat down on the still warm piano stool and brushed her fingers along the surface of the keys.

"When you came to my room that night," he wrapped his arms around her and pressed down on the keys, "a day I'll never forget," he played without speaking then smiled looking down at her hands, "want to put a duet on the track?"

Kayo laughed as his arms brushed against her shoulders, "I'd only mess it up."

"Nonsense, I've taught you. You're my best student, I didn't get anywhere with Scott. That brother of mine is too impatient."

"You're still the best out of all of us."

Virgil simply shrugged, "just classically trained. You're playing right now."

Kayo stopped and looked up at him, "can we record that song you wrote for me? The one called 'Shadow Dreams'."

"I suppose so," he mused as Kayo stood up from the stool and he took her place, "just give me a signal when you're ready to start recording."

Kayo nodded, "will do. I can't wait for this."

"How is it sounding by the way, is the pedal silencer working?"

"Seems to be, I can't hear it on the recording, just a tiny thud."

"Good, ok see you soon."

Kayo placed her hands on his shoulders smiling at the soft material of his plaid shirt under her fingers, "look for the red light."

"FAB," Virgil kissed her softly, "we'll do this in one take."

Kayo nodded as she licked her lips, "see you in ten," she walked back into the studio and closed the door behind her, she could scream in there and Virgil wouldn't hear her and right now all she wanted to do was to yell out how much she loved him, she sat down behind the table and cued Virgil in, he began to play and she leant on her elbows gazing at him playing. The song drew to a close and he left the piano after she beckoned him over to the studio, he pulled a chair up beside her and listened to the track with her with a smile.

"We really should have a duet on here, Kayo."

Kayo sighed, "fine, but we won't be able to do it in one take. You make me pleasantly nervous."

"Let's get going, we'll do the recording remotely," Virgil pulled his phone out of his pocket and set up a link, "viens avec moi."

"Tres bien," Kayo closed the door after setting up a new recording and walked over to join Virgil at the piano, "let's do the one we wrote together."

"That's just what I was thinking."

Kayo took her jacket off and threw it over the sofa in the room, "we can't have any extra sounds."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have worn heels," he smirked as she sat down on the stool scuffing the floor with her heeled boots.

"Touche."

"So, do you remember it?"

Kayo nodded as she got comfortable on the stool, "yep. Ready when you are."

Virgil kissed her cheek, "3,2,1," he began to play a waltz in the lower octaves and Kayo joined in with quick scales up and down across the harmonies he was creating, he kept an eye on his phone making sure it was recording and Kayo checked the wires weren't in the way anywhere, she glanced up at Virgil instead and felt her heart flutter, she loved him so much and he loved her, this was the one room they could be a couple in without any laughter or awkwardness around them and they could both feel it when inside the isolation of the studio, Virgil looked at the girl beside him and smiled crookedly as his own heart fluttered as her hand brushed his fingers on arpeggios, he pedalled gently for them and smiled as Kayo brought the piece to an end and felt her nudge his foot to lift off the pedal, they sat in silence until the phone was turned off then sighed.

"Nailed it sweetheart," Virgil hugged her tightly against his side and she chuckled.

"I didn't breathe for the whole thing, I didn't want to ruin the recording."

"Shall we go and listen to it?"

"I'd love to," she wrapped her arm around his back and they left the piano.

It was mid-afternoon when the couple returned to the lounge and Scott was sitting at their mother's baby grand, he looked up at their entrance and smirked.

"You've been gone all day."

"And?" Kayo rolled her eyes.

"No reason, what do you use that room for?"

Virgil hurled a cushion at him almost knocking the eldest off the piano stool, "mind your own business."


	2. Flirt

Virgil often found himself applying eye drops into his eyes after rolling them so many times during rescues when listening to Scott's awful chat-up lines when a woman was involved or in trouble. Scott was handsome, and although Virgil would never tell him that, he could see why women swooned over him, the second eldest wasn't above admitting that he himself wasn't bad to look at either but then again he had scored with Kayo recently so was off the market, this meant that Scott was sometimes desperate. Although the eldest hated the media and public appearances, he had been brought up to always be polite and friendly to anyone who approached him, and so came across as a charmer if a little snappy when he got tired of an interview.  
The two eldest and Kayo were currently on a said mission and had been listening to Scott's com channel throughout as they assisted an evacuation of a party on a private yacht, it had run out of fuel and had been drifting dangerously towards the shallow islands in the Caribbean. Gordon had taken Thunderbird 4 down to seal the engine's crack, and the ship was being held in place by Thunderbird 2 and Shadow's grabs as Scott was helping people onto the chair harness. During the evacuation, his eye had caught the eye of a tall red haired girl and now they couldn't keep their eyes off each other or stop talking.

"Thank you so much again for coming out here, Scott. We've never had a problem with the boat before, my father is furious with the engineer."

Scott smiled and his dimples deepened, "well I'm sure it's not their fault, not entirely. It's not a problem for us to come out at all, Roslyn."

"I'm sorry my parents were so brisk with your assistance earlier," she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"As long as everyone is safe, I'm happy."

Gordon slammed his head against his console and opened a channel with Virgil privately, "he's still going at it."

Virgil nodded, "desperate."

"To be honest, you used to be like that Virgil," Kayo shrugged as she hit the autopilot so she could stretch.

"I was not, I timed asking you out perfectly."

"Sure you did, honey, sure you did."

"I can take you to the mainland personally if you'd like?" Scott continued, unaware of the backtalk on the comms.

Roslyn smirked before watching the next load of guests ascend into Thunderbird 2, "I really should go with them, don't you think?"

"That's entirely up to you, we're dropping everyone off in the marina where my brother will tug your boat to."

"I best not then, as much fun as that sounds," she looked up at Thunderbird 1 hovering, "I'm not sure how I would get up there anyway," she got her phone out and placed it down over his wrist communicator then pressed a button, "maybe some other time," she smirked then went over to her family, Scott looked down at his screen where a name was written with a number.

"Ok Romeo, get into Thunderbird 1 and head to the marina," Virgil interrupted sternly and Scott sighed.

"Fine. Wait, have you been listening to this the whole time?"

Kayo nodded, "yep, you forgot to turn your com off. You're such a flirt, Scott."

"Yeah, you're worse than me," Gordon surfaced in Thunderbird 4 and secured a line to the bow of the yacht, "you can let go of the ship now you two."

"FAB," chorused the two pilots and the grabs were released as they pulled away.

Scott stretched out on the sofa listening to Virgil play the piano in the lounge later that evening, he sighed deeply and Kayo looked up from the report she was writing at Jeff's desk.

"What's up Scott?"

"I can't decide whether or not to get in contact with that girl Roslyn."

"She wouldn't have given you her number if she didn't want you to stay in contact," Virgil shrugged as he played.

"Yeah but I'm the head of International Rescue, I don't have time for dates."

"Then why do you flirt so much?" Kayo asked and heard Virgil snort with laughter behind her.

"I didn't realise I did."

Virgil stopped playing and turned round to face the lounge, "this makes girl number five in the last two weeks you've chatted up. How come you never chased up Marion Van Arkel?"

"Because we clash too much, we've never had a conversation without it turning into an argument."

"I'm just going to say it Scott, and forgive me Virgil," she smiled at him before turning back to the eldest, "you're gorgeous Scott, but you don't commit. Heck even I've had a crush on you in the past, but you don't really do yourself any favours when you turn conversations into business all the time."

"On rescues, I have to."

"During, yes. Afterwards, no, you don't have to, loosen up."

Scott smiled, "thanks, I guess."

"Oh and stop flirting with chat-up lines, they're awful," Kayo smiled thinly, "we could've done a drinking game today."

"What did I say?"

"I can't remember now but they were on par with some of Gordon's," Virgil resumed playing as Scott bit his lip thoughtfully.

"I'm going to text her."

"Be yourself," Kayo turned back to typing with a smile, "and let us know what she says."

"Maybe, but most likely no," Scott got up and left the lounge.

"Think he'll succeed?" Kayo looked over her shoulder at Virgil who chuckled.

"He'll be fine. Was I that bad?"

Kayo got up and walked over to wrap her arms around him, "no, you won me over with this," she kissed the top of his head.

"My hair?"

"Don't be stupid," she laughed leaning up against the stool behind him, "just being yourself."

Virgil looked up at her grinning, "you're a pain."

"Yeah, but you know you love me."


	3. Snacks

"Please Virgil, please please?!"

"Gordon, I am not parking her down there."

"Oh come on Virg, it's Saturday," Alan whined from behind them.

"Scott would kill me."

"Since when do you think about Scott?"

Virgil frowned, "I always have."

"Come on piano man, live a little, we're starving," Alan continued to moan.

Virgil sighed, "we can't go in uniform, and we keep this to ourselves, go and change."

Gordon stripped as he stood up revealing his shorts underneath, "back soon."

"Urgh Gordon," Virgil screwed his face up before sighing.

"What? I'm not naked," he looked back hoping Alan had copied him but the youngest had gone into the bathroom outside, "nawwh."

Virgil hit the autopilot as Alan came back wearing jeans and a green t-shirt, "Alan, take control, I'm going to get changed."

"How come you trust him and not me?" Gordon exclaimed as he tied his shoelaces up, "this sucks, may I remind you he flew your bird into a fire?"

Alan grabbed the wheel, "that was an accident."

"Yeah sure."

"It was!"

"Virgil, you know it wasn't, right? Uh Virgil?" Gordon looked around but his brother had gone, "well, I'm right."

Virgil returned in his casual clothes and Alan stood up, "thanks, Al. I'll take us down, go in first you two and don't fill the basket up with just snacks."

"But that's the whole reason we're here!" Alan crossed his arms as Virgil fired the VTOL engines, "we'll be recognised by the way, you can't hide Thunderbird 2."

"We'll leave via the back of the module, now go," Virgil pushed his chair back.

Gordon walked down the steps with Alan, "is something bothering Virgil?"

"I don't think so, why?"

"He doesn't seem like himself."

"He hates taking Thunderbird 2 to the mall, but we're here now so let's go."

Virgil caught up with the youngsters as they entered the supermarket, "in and out guys, or there'll be a crowd around Thunderbird 2."

"Have you set her defences?"

"Yep."

"Ok, we need chips and sweets. Gordon, get the chocolate."

Virgil shook his head with a smirk, "alright alright, let's get popcorn."

"That's more like it," Alan grinned and scampered down one of the aisles.

Scott paced the lounge and Kayo smiled, "what is keeping them?"

"They'll be back soon, don't worry."

Virgil walked up the steps with the youngest, "hide the goods."

"Virgil, where were you?" Scott scolded and Alan walked into Virgil's back, sweets fell to the floor, "I see."

"They forced me."

"Woah, woah, woah! You were all for it," Gordon's frown was so deep that Kayo swore it was going to disappear into his head.

"You stopped to get snacks?" Scott crossed his arms, "I thought I made it clear that we were to stop doing that, how many people got electrocuted, Virgil?"

"I don't know, there wasn't a crowd of people when I went back to the ship, so I hope no-one," he sat down on the sofa beside Kayo who wrapped her arm around his back.

Scott sighed and his face softened, "what did you get?"

Gordon whipped out a packet of skittles, "your favourite."

Scott caught them with a smile, "ease up on these trips guys, or we'll be spotted and followed by fans."

"Ha, you worry too much, we're rescue workers, not celebrities," Virgil leant back against Kayo's arm.

"Good looking rescue workers," Kayo added as she smirked up at her boyfriend.

"But not celebrities."

Alan shrugged, "I'd say we are like celebrities in the fact the world knows about us."

"Agreed," Gordon said between chewing a toffee.

"Well, we just have to be careful, that's all," Scott sighed, "thanks for these, Gords."

"My pleasure."


	4. Training

"Today if that's possible?" Kayo paced the corridor or bedrooms with impatience, training was supposed to start five minutes ago, "guys, come on, we should be halfway through the jungle by now!"

Virgil opened his door and stepped out wearing his uniform minus the sash, his tool belt rested on his hips and was full of grapple hooks, "relax sweet pea, we're ready."

"Then where is everyone?"

"No idea," Virgil cracked a smirk, "how about a head start?"

Kayo shook her head, "no."

Scott closed his door and zipped up his uniform, "well, someone is impatient. Every single time, Kayo."

"I have to be. Now let's get to it or I'll start banging on doors."

"Urg, John is so lucky he doesn't have to do this," Alan dragged his feet into the corridor, "I'm not in the mood to swing through trees today."

"We're doing the rock face, not vines today."

Gordon whistled happily as he walked past the group, "I'm going snorkeling, see ya!"

Kayo grabbed him, "oh no you don't, come on fishy."

The group walked out of the house into the garden and entered the jungle, they reached the first cliff face and Kayo unhooked her grapple launcher from her leg strap, she fired it up to the first ledge and nodded to the others.

"Follow me. I'm setting a timer, 2 minutes. Go!"

Four lines were fired and five bodies began climbing the wall, curses were muttered under breaths but everyone was making good progress much to Kayo's delight, suddenly Alan's foot slipped and he ran his gloved fingers down the wall with a scream, Scott dropped down to grab him by the arm and the youngest swung gently on his harness.

"I've got you, are you ok?"

Alan breathed deeply, "yeah, I guess I'm still asleep."

Kayo rolled her eyes, "stop complaining, you now have one minute," she pulled herself onto the ledge.

Virgil reached the ledge and smiled, "I need to do this with full uniform on."

"Next time," Kayo kissed him then sat back in her harness looking down at the others who were reaching the ledge, "30 seconds."

"This is crazy, Kayo," Gordon sighed, panting as he clambered up, "I'm an aquanaut not a climber."

Kayo ignored him, "is everyone ready for the plunge?"

Scott's eyes widened as he reached the ledge, "the what?"

"Did you plan getting down another way?" Kayo helped Alan onto the ledge.

"Yeah a normal way," Scott grumbled as he stood on the ledge, "a plunge means getting wet."

Kayo's communicator beeped, "good, everyone is here in two minutes, nice one. Next level."

Virgil ran with her, "honey, I think you're pushing us too hard, we're not as flexible as you."

"I know how flexible you are Virgil," she smirked, "this isn't a workout for any of you."

Scott hung back with Alan, "how are you holding up?"

"I've been better," Alan plodded along, a sheen of sweat glittered on his forehead.

"Take it easy ok? Kayo won't kill you for going slower than us."

"She, might."

They rounded the corner onto the lower ledge and looked down below at the ocean, they all knew this was safe place to jump or dive from as they had marked it on their communicators, Kayo tied her hair up into a bun as the wind pulled her hair across her face and she looked across at Gordon.

"After you?"

"Avec plaisir," Gordon strapped his grapple launcher to his tool belt and took a deep breath before throwing himself off the cliff, he moved into a pike dive and hit the water gently barely making a splash, he emerged and blew a kiss to the family above, "see you in the lounge!"

Kayo rolled her eyes, "I shouldn't have let him go first in retrospect. Virgil?"

"See you on the beach," he kissed her cheek then jumped off the cliff going in feet first, despite his figure he managed not to make more than a small splash and Kayo smiled.

"That's my man," she faced the remaining two, "who's next?"

Alan nodded, "I'll go," as he went to jump he slipped on a pebble, he fell awkwardly off the cliff and Kayo cried down to Virgil who was making for the shore.

"Virgil! Catch him!"

Virgil trod water and aimed his grapple at his brother, the wire attached itself to his belt and the artist swung Alan away from the cliff into the water, "I've got him!"

Alan coughed hard as he emerged from the water, "Virg? Virgil!"

Kayo and Scott dived together and joined Virgil in the water who was supporting Alan under his arm, Scott took the other side and they made for the beach where Gordon was anxiously waiting.

"What happened?" Gordon asked as Alan coughed up water.

"He tripped on the jump," Scott rubbed circles across his back gently, "shh it's ok, you're alright."

Alan shivered from both the cold and shock, "I thought I was going to hit the rocks."

Virgil stroked Alan's wet hair back off his forehead, "never, we wouldn't have let that happen."

Kayo hugged her arms tight across her body and her gut twisted with guilt, "I am so sorry. That's enough training for today," she fled from the beach and Virgil watched her go.

"Virgil, go after her, we'll get Alan to the infirmary,'' Scott pushed him gently.

"But, Alan?"

"Go, he's alright, we'll find out why he fell," Scott smiled gently and shifted his position in the sand to prop Alan up against his knee as the boy continued to cough.

Kayo leant against Virgil's balcony wearing jeans and one of his shirts, her long hair danced with the breeze and she gazed down at the beach where she could see three figures still huddled together, the door opened behind her and she heard Virgil's boots thud cross the hardwood floor, "I know what you're going to say, so don't say it's not my fault."

Virgil didn't say anything and instead wrapped his arms around her stomach resting his head against hers, "but it's not."

Kayo sighed as she placed her hand over his, "there was something wrong and I didn't check, maybe I have been pushing you guys too much, he had a mission yesterday."

"Don't push yourself either Kayo, you do it too much."

Kayo turned to face him but kept her back against the railing, "I know you're trying to make me feel better, Virgil, but until I know he's ok, I'm going to blame myself."

"We'll go down to him then," Virgil kissed her tenderly then held her against his chest with a sigh.

Scott held Alan gently in his arms as he carried him up to the house, "you're going to be alright, Alan."

"You're dripping on me," Alan whined before coughing.

"Yeah well you're dripping on me more," Scott smiled, "keeping up Gordon?"

"Of course I am."

Brains walked down into the infirmary as Scott walked in with Alan, "Scott, what happened?"

"He tripped and fell from the cliff," Scott put his little brother down on the bed and Alan unzipped his uniform, "Virgil snatched him out of midair."

Brains dragged a holoscan from his computer and it zoomed up Alan's body, "hm, respiratory issues, looks like a developing c-cold."

"Great," Alan sniffed, "but why did I trip?"

"Your brain pattern s-suggests fatigue, and no sleep."

Scott scowled, "Alan, what have I told you about getting rest after missions?"

"I was too awake when I got back last night," Alan dumped his uniform on the bed beside his and shivered in just his shorts, Scott wrapped a blanket around him and pulled the sheets up.

"I'll meet you guys back here, I want to dry off," Gordon winked and left the infirmary, on his way out he ran into Kayo and Virgil, "he's alright, Brains says he's caught a cold which would explain the lack of energy."

Virgil sighed, "that's a relief, nothing a few remedies won't put right. Where are you off?"

"To get into dry clothes, I'm soaked."

Kayo ran over to Alan's bed, "Al, I'm sorry I pushed you today, I didn't know you weren't well."

"Neither did I," Alan smiled at her, "I guess this is what you get for over training us."

"Alan!" Scott barked.

"Sorry."

"I'm sorry I snatched you from the cliff too, that must've been painful," Virgil perched on the end of Alan's bed moving his brother's feet so he could get comfortable.

"I wouldn't be here if you hadn't," he sniffed, "urgh, my head."

"Get some rest Alan, I'll k-keep a monitoring system running in here," Brains smiled checking the auto nurse systems.

Gordon returned to the infirmary, "here Alan, I did you the favour of grabbing your bed clothes, and your plush."

Alan pouted as his Thunderbird 3 hit him in the face, "hmm, thanks."

"Awwh you love me, don't deny it."

"Don't push it."

"I'm reducing our training sessions," Kayo brought up a hologram on her wrist and showed the others in the lounge later that afternoon, "how does that look?"

Virgil let the music he was playing die away as he eyed up the timetable, "looks good to me."

"How early is that?" Scott asked leaning forwards.

"Not that early, I've put in 9am runs instead of climbing and the harder stuff will take place in the afternoon. Of course everything is dropped when we have an assignment."

Virgil resumed playing, "what about combat?"

"Remains the same, just come and see me about doing it, I'm always up for fighting you guys."

Gordon sighed, "you're like a teacher."

"Your dad put me in charge of exercise regimes and training sessions, blame him not me."

"I will when we bring him home," Gordon replied with a smirk, "and I'll make it sound like you've killed us doing it."

"He'll only support it, dad was always one for pushing us," Scott shrugged.

"Never over the limit as I have to continually remind you," Virgil muttered looking over in Scott's direction, the memory of the Aurora Generator expedition never slipped his memory.

"Yes Virgil, thank you," Scott rolled his eyes, "I didn't push us over the limit."

Virgil's fingers stopped dead on the keys, "yes you did, you were a different person on that mission, you were reckless."

"Urgh enough! Every time you bring up this mission you argue about it, it was a year ago, get over it," Kayo minimised the holo-image, "I've learned the hard way today, and it won't happen again. If a training session is too strenuous, tell me ok?" She looked round at the boys in the room and they nodded, "good."

"Kayo?" Gordon leant back against the sofa smiling sweetly.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you wearing one of Virgil's shirts?"

"Oh shut up," Kayo smirked and threw a pillow at him which hit him in the face, he threw it back and it sailed over her head hitting Virgil in the leg.

"Hey!"

"Kayo started it!"

Scott groaned, "every meeting ends like this."

"It wasn't a meeting," Virgil chucked the red cushion at him and left the piano.

"Ow Virgil!"

"Don't be a baby," Virgil grinned grabbing another cushion and siding with Kayo against the other two who then formed an alliance and dodged a blue cushion which flew past him, "missed me."


	5. Comforts

They treat rescue victims very differently to each other, that's really all there is to say.

Virgil remembers the pain someone had caused him after a rescue, they hadn't meant to of course but squeezing his arms too hard after he had just come out from holding up a brick wall with the jaws of life allowing them to escape, had been intense on his muscles, he had taken the jaws off and locked them into the pod when said victim wrapped their arms around him thanking him over and over again, he had grunted painfully but a look from Scott telling him to smile and accept it, had kept his mouth shut, the damage was all too clear the next day when Kayo spotted bruises on his arms not from the jaws but from the hug and had told Scott. Since then they've all done their best to simply shake hands with people they've rescued or in Alan's case go for high fives and fist bumps, and of course they don't mind when they're held onto in a harness or given a ride with the jet pack if all else fails.

How do they differ when at home then? Like a family, they squabble, laugh, prank one another and there's always the offer of a hug when someone is feeling down or stressed. Many times not one of them has even had to ask for a hug, they walk into the lounge and something sparks that they're not ok, it's like a sixth sense building up in the heart rather than the head.

Virgil walked into the lounge after a lone mission and over to the piano, his girlfriend and brother were standing by the pool table laughing over a low scoring game and he began to play sadly, the music was minor and hauntingly mellow, Scott's ears pricked and he looked over to the grand piano, Kayo nodded and she walked over noticing Virgil wince whenever he pedalled, instinct told her where the pain was and she wrapped her arms around his neck closing her eyes as he sighed deeply.

"What did you do?"

"Twisted ankle, it's nothing."

Scott crossed his arms, "stop playing Virgil and move to that chaise now before I drag you there."

Kayo sat down beside him as he took his shoe off, another thing he didn't usually wear, it was either boots or bare foot depending on how he was feeling, "swollen?"

"I don't think so."

Scott knelt at the footstool, "hmm, try not to walk on it for the rest of the day."

"But Scott?"

"No arguments," his eyes met his brother's and an unspoken conversation passed between them, "what else?"

"I'll tell you later," Virgil got to his feet and moved back to the piano, Scott stopped him, "please Scott."

"Virgil, tell me now."

Virgil bowed his head, "the man I rescued had just lost his dad, it made me think how lucky we are to know our dad isn't dead anymore."

Scott pulled him close and pressed his forehead against his brother's, the top of Virgil's hair folded on his skin, "I know, and it won't be long till he's back home."

Kayo smiled almost tearfully at the brothers' embrace, "I'll see you guys later."

"Wait, I'll come with you," Virgil pulled back and smiled, "thanks brother."

"Anytime," Scott watched them leave together arm in arm and sat down at the piano. He had only just begun to play when Alan sprinted into the room.

"Scott, it's huge, you have to come and get it!"

Scott shrugged as he ran a glissando up the keys, "why didn't you get nature boy? I can't be a hero all the time."

"Scott!" Alan dragged his name out as he leant against the piano trying to catch his eye, "it's on my console."

Scott glanced up from under his lashes and couldn't help but smirk at his frightened looking brother, "oh alright then," he released the pedal and followed Alan down to his room, "if it's a ladybug, I'm going to hit you."

Alan hid behind him, "no I'm genuine, it's big."

Scott pushed the door open and his eyes laid on a cricket sitting on one of Alan's textbooks, "you could chase this thing out!" he scolded as he ushered the insect out of the open window, he turned and narrowed his eyes, "come here!"

Alan yelped as Scott pulled him into a headlock, "oww, it was big!"

Scott laughed as he ruffled Alan's hair, "you're such a coward."

"Alright alright, I'm sorry for dragging you here, let me go!"

"Are you sure you're ok? I mean you're as pale as anything,'' Scott gasped dramatically before smiling.

"Jerk."

Scott wrapped his arms around him, "you've never been good with insects have you?"

"Not since we moved here where they're twice the size of a regular bug," Alan nestled against Scott's shirt, "thanks."

"You're hopeless sprout, and could use some fresh air, come on."

The team were called out minus Virgil who was forced to stay home to rest his ankle, and they returned in the evening, the second eldest was sat on the sofa with his leg propped up on a footstool and a blanket and he smiled as they walked down into the ring, without words Scott sat down on one side of him and Kayo on the other as Alan took up a spot at Scott's feet and Gordon perched on the footrest, John floated above the table from the holo-projector and pressed play for a film to start then sat back to watch it with his family. Virgil wrapped an arm around Kayo's shoulders as she leant into his side and he raised an eyebrow.

"Tough mission guys?"

Kayo nodded, "yeah, we'll discuss it later."

"FAB," Scott yawned and smiled as Alan rested his back against his legs, "it's good to be home."

"I'm glad you're home safe."

"So are we," Scott stared ahead at the film and Virgil noticed everyone was in contact with at least one part of someone else whether it was clothing or a hand, he would ask what had happened when they wanted to talk about it.


	6. Midnight

_**AU: Is it obvious that I can play the piano XD**_

_**xxx**_

Alan sleeps through the night unless something is really troubling him, on a night after a tough missing he'll stay in the lounge all night with the knowledge that someone will join him at some point. It's rare for Alan not to be asleep, even during the day he's usually napping somewhere, the funniest place he was ever discovered was upside down on a sun lounger and Gordon had painted a mustache above his lip, he didn't notice until they were called on a mission and Scott pushed him into the bathroom.

Gordon is the kind of person never goes to bed early but is an early riser due to wanting a swim before anyone can disrupt him, unknown to his brothers is that he goes to bed late knowing that Lady Penelope is awake still in England and he can call her privately, some of his most intimate conversations have happened at midnight.

Even in Thunderbird 5 hanging in space and ultimate darkness, John takes sleeping very seriously, he goes by pacific time to make sure that he's always awake when his family are and vice versa, he puts EOS on duty when he goes to bed and she handles rescue calls ordering them into priority and low alerts ready to wake him if there is an emergency which needs International Rescue.

Virgil is a heavy sleeper but gets up before nine everyday so he can slot in his morning piano workout before Thunderbird 2 maintenance drags him away, like Alan he can pretty much nod off anywhere but he prefers his bed to a wooden floor, he and Scott stay up late together on the off chance they are back late from a mission or one needs the other's comfort or instance a heart to heart.

Kayo sometimes suffers from insomnia but ever since she and Virgil became a couple, her nights have been undisturbed, she tucks herself under the covers and just finds comfort in snuggling up beside him, his steady breathing is like white noise to her and she falls asleep safe in his arms, she doesn't care that she sleep talks, according to Virgil, because he answers what she is muttering or closes her lips with kisses which put her to sleep again. An early riser like Gordon, the mornings are her training sessions as long as she is not called out on an assignment and she tries to keep a regime going in the evenings to settle down whether this be reading or a bath to relax.

Scott is almost always up past midnight, ever since Jeff disappeared he finds it impossible to fall asleep immediately, it takes either a hot chocolate or something stronger to shut his mind off from his thoughts, he doesn't let his youngest brothers know he drinks and tries to only limit himself to one glass in case they're called out on a late night mission, usually he is left alone and has been found asleep at the desk if he's been more tired than initially thought.

"Here again Scott?"

Scott jumped from where he was sitting against the bookcase sipping a glass of brandy, "Virgil, you're usually asleep at this time."

Virgil shrugged, "I couldn't sleep."

Alarm bells rang, that was an odd thing for Virgil to say, "want to talk about it?"

"That's not my output."

Scott opened a small cupboard beside his foot and took out another glass, "try this."

Virgil raised an eyebrow as Scott took the bottle to the desk and poured out a glass, "if Alan ever finds out, or Grandma?"

"I don't care if they do anymore."

"That's not true," Virgil took the glass from his brother graciously.

"This isn't about me. So, why can't you sleep?" Scott pulled his father's desk chair up to the piano as Virgil pulled the stool out, "this is my routine, not so much yours. Kayo?"

"She's asleep," Virgil sipped the brandy then put the glass down on the ledge beside his hand, "she's fine after today, it's me who isn't."

"You saved Shadow, Virgil, and her life. What's troubling you?"

Virgil began to play and held the sostenuto pedal down under his left foot muting the strings from resonating, "I could've done more, she nearly hit the water. Kayo won't tell me, but I know the fall hurt her."

"You didn't fail Virgil, both ships are fine. I was watching you and you did the right thing."

"I don't think I did."

"Of course you did," Scott rested his glass on his knee as he stretched his legs out in front of him, "Virgil, you've never made a mistake on a mission."

"Yes I have, a number of times. I know you're only saying that to make me feel better," he held the sustain pedal down to reach for his drink and Scott sighed.

"You're the one who holds us together Virgil, I struggle to sleep because I constantly think about the times I've acted irrationally or put your life in danger. You've never done that."

"Apart from today. If the grabs had failed, I would've dropped Kayo."

"She's put her life and ship in your hands before now, Virgil, and she trusts you," Scott smiled, "why else would she have chosen you huh?"

Virgil sat back on the stool swirling the drink gently in his hand, he had stopped playing and stared ahead, "am I right for her?"

Scott wheeled the chair closer with a frown, "Virgil, listen to me, she's the best thing that's ever happened to you."

Virgil looked at him, eye to eye and smiled fondly, "you mean that?"

"Have I ever lied to you, other than the times I've eaten your snacks and denied it?"

"Thanks," Virgil chuckled as he played short scales with his left hand, "how do you feel after that mission?"

"Plane saved, survivors, it couldn't have gone much better. Are you really only troubled by what happened after? Kayo made a mistake and you two handled it, you left me with the plane and saved her."

Virgil tipped the drink back and put the empty glass down, "well, when you put it that way."

Scott relaxed finally seeing a smirk creep onto Virgil's lips, "I do put it that way, now get some sleep, you look exhausted," he stood up and pushed the chair back under the desk as Virgil left the piano, he turned round and pulled the troubled man into his arms gently, "don't dwell on it."

Virgil smiled and pressed his fingers into Scott's back, "and don't stay up all night."

Scott watched him go then sat down on the piano stool, he flipped a page back and read the title of the piece, the name Kayo was written in cursive writing and he followed the lines of music with his eyes, did Kayo know about this yet? Following what Virgil had done to prevent the sound of the piano from echoing around the house, he began to play and immediately his face broke into a smile at the sweet tuned melody, "awh Virgil, she's going to love it."

Virgil checked the time before crawling back into bed, 1am, he would regret that in the morning, but for now he could rest, he wrapped his arms around Kayo and brought her to his chest smiling when she hummed contentedly against him and with a yawn he fell asleep resting his cheek atop her head.


	7. Fears

The Tracys all share the same fear in the rescue business and that's losing each other, it's a dangerous job and each of them know that when they go out, they're putting their lives on the line and one of them might not make it home, but they still go knowing they're the best hope for those in danger. Everyone has a personal fear of something, for some it's loneliness, others the dark, clowns and sometimes much smaller things.

"Argh!" The scream was unusually shrill for the person it belonged to and Scott sprinted to the source, he skidded into the adjacent hangar and looked around with confusion.

"Scott, help!"

Gordon joined Scott and frowned, "I heard that scream from inside Thunderbird 4, what's going on?"

"Hopefully nothing serious," Scott ran inside the Thunderbird in question and looked up only to see the second eldest brother cowering on top of the Mole, "Virg?"

"It's disappeared, it was right here."

"What was?" Gordon asked looking down at the floor of the module.

"Scott, it's there!" Virgil yelped and Scott looked down to see a huge spider scuttle past him and run towards the pod.

"Woah, where did you bring that back from?" Scott moved sideways, "it's just a spider, Virg."

Virgil leapt from the pod and landed beside Scott, unfortunately not noticing the spider had fired a web at the same time and he screamed seeing it crawling on an invisible line towards him, "get it off me!"

Kayo ran into the module, "who's torturing my gem without me?"

Gordon rolled his eyes and took the spider into his hands cupping it between his palms so it couldn't escape, "oh Virgil, you are a picture."

"Keep that, thing, away from me," he grimaced and rubbed invisible webs off himself.

"What, this!" Gordon made to throw the spider at Virgil but his brother got there first and swiped his hands sway causing the aquanaut to loosen his grip, the spider fell to the floor and Virgil fled from the open module with an unmanly squeak.

Kayo laughed as she watched him sprint down the ramp, "put it outside Gordon, or Virgil will never come in here again."

Gordon rolled his eyes, "it's not even that big."

Scott shuddered slightly, "it's pretty big, I wouldn't touch it that's for sure."

"Are you scared too?" Gordon asked as he lowered it into a mug to take outside to the garden.

"No, I'm hesitant because it might be venomous."

"Spiders only attack if they're provoked, by the fuss Virgil was making I'm surprised it didn't nip him. See you later," Gordon walked out and Kayo sighed.

"I'll go and find Virgil," she smirked at Scott then went in search of the Thunderbird 2 pilot who was pacing in the shadow of his bird's nose cone, "it's gone, Gordon has taken it outside, maybe you'll run your ship over it on your next launch."

Virgil rubbed his arms, "ugh, I really hate them."

Kayo smiled at him then noticed the goosebumps on his neck, "awwh, you really are scared of spiders aren't you? Between you and me, I'm scared of moths you never know if you're going to find one in your room or not in the evening."

Virgil smiled, "spiders vs moths, I'll happily take the moths."

Kayo kissed him then stroked his cheek, "what were you doing anyway?"

"Just refuelling the Mole, I was connecting the pump and it crawled out of the cockpit," he closed his eyes, "I hate to believe it was with me the whole time on that mission," he shivered again and Kayo squeezed his hand.

"Get back there, you never know if we'll get called out again."

Virgil smiled and wrapped his hand around the back of her neck drawing her face up to his lips, he closed his eyes enjoying the smoothness of her lips against his own, scented only with a subtle taste of vanilla balm, his lips parted and he heard someone clear their throat behind them.

"When you two are done, I could use some help," Alan snorted.

Kayo rolled her eyes breaking the kiss reluctantly, "I promised Alan I would help him do an engine check on Thunderbird 3, sorry Virgil, I'll see you later."

Virgil watched her leave the side hangar and sighed as Scott came to stand beside him, "what's your fear Scott?"

Scott smiled, "I'm guessing your other fear is losing Kayo?"

"Mmm."

"It's always losing you guys on a mission, but since we're being open, I've never been a fan of bats, butterflies I can handle but bats are something else, they fly right at you when you don't want them to and can be vicious."

Virgil smirked, "that's a little more pathetic than mine, but at least we know that Gordon is scared of lizards."

"True, but don't prank him with lizards ok? Come on, I'll help you finish your maintenance run through."

"Thanks, and for seeing if I was alright earlier."

Scott chuckled, "we thought you had hurt yourself, that was some scream."


	8. Instruments

It was something to be encouraged, if they were to be alone on an island for the rest of their lives then they were going to learn an instrument, Lucy had made sure of that when the boys were children and they had kept their promises ever since she had passed away.

Virgil is the most versatile and plays about six musical instruments including the piano, guitar and most astonishing the harp which he finds to be very relaxing.  
Scott plays the piano moderately well having been taught by his mother then by Virgil after she died, but is much better at the guitar.  
Gordon copies his oldest brother with the guitar and can play pretty much any of the guitar family if he practices hard enough, whereas his youngest brother Alan loves anything rock related or loud, the first thing Jeff did when they moved to the island was to help design a soundproofed room where a drum kit could live and Alan took himself there whenever he could, and still does.  
John, being the quieter brother has tried many instruments but has never excelled at one, he is, however, a very good singer and uses Thunderbird 5 as his stage slash studio, he absolutely hates performing but will join in with the Christmas carols when forced to but that's where he draws the line.  
Lastly Kayo, she only joined the boys when she was a child and never knew their mother, but that didn't stop Grandma Tracy from encouraging her to learn an instrument, she had a go at everything but after becoming Virgil's girlfriend when she turned twenty she began to excel at the piano and the pair often played duets together either in the lounge or in private.

Scott sat by the pool working out chords to a piece he had heard Virgil play a couple of days ago, the composer in question walked down the steps and laughed, "and what is so funny?"

"You, trying to work out how to play my composition. I wrote it in F, one of the hardest chords to play on the guitar."

Scott huffed, "I could always change it?"

"But then you wouldn't be able to play by ear, here, pass it over," Virgil sat down on the edge of the nearest lounger and took the guitar from Scott, "it's easy when you know it."

Scott crossed his arms as his brother played the piece effortlessly, "show off."

"I wrote it, so I should be able to play it."

"Hey, what are you guys up to?" Kayo smiled as she jumped the last steps down to the poolside.

"Virgil is showing me up, again," Scott watched her sit down beside Virgil and hug his arm.

"What have I told you about doing that?" Kayo tutted.

Virgil smirked at her, "not to."

"Huh," she turned back to Scott, "what are you trying to play?"

Scott took the guitar back from Virgil as they cuddled on the lounger, "Virgil's composition, I've almost got it, I think."

"Seems a good day for it, no rescues, for one thing, nothing better than music on a sunny day," Kayo closed her eyes as she turned her face to the sun, "any idea where the others are?"

"Gordon is in the sea, and I think Alan is still asleep, he had a late mission last night," Virgil looked out to the ocean and heard a shout of joy, "and that'll be our fish now."

"How can we hear his voice from here?" Scott laughed as he played.

They were all called off on a mission after that, and a rather stressful one, as soon as they landed back at the base everyone had one thing on their mind, distraction. Virgil sat at the piano with Kayo, she didn't play on this occasion but found solace in just being next to a rather scratched up Virgil on the stool, a bruise was forming on his hand and he winced when his finger joints disturbed it, the other three boys sat staring into their laps minus Scott who was sitting at Jeff's desk feeling miserable, John's hologram floated above the piano and he kept his eyes on Virgil's hands.

"Guys, I'm sorry."

"It's alright John," Virgil looked up, "we knew it was going to be hard."

"But not that hard," Scott interjected, "twelve lost John, we should've saved them, or at least tried to," he moaned into his hands.

"But then you might not be here."

"That's the life we chose," Virgil didn't look up, "they were washed away, they couldn't breath. We could've done something," the chords turned harsh and Kayo jumped at being caught off guard by the force.

Gordon punched the pillow beside him, "I hate mudslides, they always defeat us."

Alan nodded sorrowfully and sniffed, Scott was beside him in seconds, "I couldn't bear to lose any of you like that."

Scott wrapped his arms around him and rocked him side to side soothingly, "you won't, I wouldn't let that happen."

Grandma walked into the lounge with a tray holding mugs of hot tea, "I thought you'd accept this rather than hot chocolate?"

Scott nodded gratefully as he took a mug for himself and Alan, "thanks, grandma."

"None of you did anything wrong, and you still saved a lot of people," she put down a couple of mugs on the chair beside the piano knowing Virgil's dislike of mugs on the lid, "your father would say the same."

Virgil nodded, "I wish he was here to say that," he rested his head against Kayo's and she smiled lovingly, Scott watched them with envy and John felt even worse seeing her in a relationship.

Kayo sighed, "it's hard to forget but I think we'll all feel better if we try."

Grandma sat down beside Gordon, "when was the last time you guys all played together?"

"When we were kids," Gordon smirked and the others softly laughed.

"That's not what I meant little sea snail. Your instruments. Go and get them."

"Well we're already at ours," Virgil smiled as he sat back on the stool.

"Go and get them, not one person stays in this lounge apart from Virgil and Kayo. John, you can join in too."

"Grandma, no, please?" John begged and she nodded at him, "thank you."

"Is your hand ok Virgil?" Kayo asked as she laid it on her knee to examine the purple bruise.

"It'll be alright, let this be a lesson, do not take your hands out of the jaws of life," Virgil chuckled, "that feels nice though."

Kayo stroked her fingers across the back of his hand in gentle circles, "I wish I did more today."

"You did plenty, are you ok?"

"Just ache, that evacuation was very stressful."

Virgil smiled at her, "I'll make you feel better later."

Scott returned to the lounge holding his acoustic guitar, "I don't know how this will work," he sat down on one of the sofas in the ring and looked back in the direction of the piano.

Grandma smiled supportively as she stood up, "it's not meant to work, I just want you guys to have something else on your mind."

Gordon walked down the steps with Alan both holding an electric guitar in their hands and sat down on the sofa, "what are we playing then?"

"Just jam," Virgil shrugged as he began to play and Kayo joined in leaning against his arm for comfort as best she could.

Grandma smiled as eventually frowns turned into smirks and sadness was replaced by soft laughter when mistakes were played on the strings or deliberate attempts were made to throw someone off, with a nod she walked out of the room knowing that her mission was accomplished and the music continued behind her long into the night.


	9. Of toys and devlopments

_**AU: set in young times before major rescues and at a time Kayo decides to find her match**_

"Give that back!" Alan cried as he ran along the corridor after Gordon who skidded through the door to the lounge holding a toy animal.

Scott snatched the yellow splotched giraffe out of his hands, "stop it, you have your own toy," he looked around pitifully as eight year old Alan ran into the room sobbing, "Gordon, you're ten, grow up."

Virgil caught Alan in his arms and sat him on his knee at the piano, "what led to this?"

"We were just playing safari, and it was time to see the giraffes," Gordon replied innocently, "he's just being a baby."

"I'm not a baby!" Alan cried as Virgil bounced him gently on his knee.

Virgil stroked Alan's hair back, "the only person acting like a baby here, is Gordon."

Scott smiled, his partner in crime always knew how to break up tension in the room, "now apologise Cooper," he gave the toy back to Alan and gestured to the piano.

Gordon padded over and handed the animal to his youngest brother, "sorry."

Alan slid off Virgil's knee, "thanks."

Scott sighed as he watched the two run off, "what the heck?"

Virgil laughed, "they've been like that since they were children, if you think Gordon is bad now, wait until he hits the teenage years."

John raised an eyebrow, "do you think I'm bad?"

"No, you're the most unusual thirteen year old I've ever met, you're well behaved," Virgil grinned as the ginger haired boy pouted and pulled his book up to hide his face.

Kayo, the same age as Virgil at sixteen, flicked her hair over her shoulder, "I like to think I was well behaved."

Virgil rested his hands on the music stand as he looked up at her, "you knocked me out when you were fourteen, there's a reason why we called you Kayo."

"Is there now?" Kayo smirked at him as she cupped her hand under her chin.

Scott rolled his eyes and shared a look with John, they had been flirting for months, "yes, well, until Gordon learns about personal space, he's always going to be a handful."

"Perhaps we should keep a closer eye on them?" Virgil suggested as he stood up from the piano stool.

"Dad never kept an eye on us and we turned out fine."

"Scott!" Alan's voice rang from the poolside to the lounge.

"Now what?" Scott groaned and he ran down the stairs followed by John.

Gordon emerged from the water holding a very wet giraffe toy, "it was an accident."

"I don't want to hear it, Gordon, why was it near the water?" Scott wrapped his arm around Alan who turned his face into his shirt.

Gordon clambered out, "my stingray is in the water, it's only fair."

John frowned, "revenge or something?"

"No, my stingray is plastic, it floats!" Gordon grinned, "but mister giraffe doesn't."

"Gordon, you're grounded, go to your room, now," Scott's blue eyes blazed as he held Alan tightly.

Gordon immediately pouted and stormed up to the kitchen, "you're not dad!"

Scott kissed the top of Alan's head, "you ok Ali?"

Alan nodded, "yeah."

Gordon lay on his bed staring up at the ceiling holding a toy fish, his mum had bought it for him when he was little and it never left his room in case it got lost or damaged, he had other toys but this one was special, he hugged it tightly and heard a knock at his door, "go away."

Scott let himself in, "that sounded like come in to me," he closed the door behind him, "what's up, you don't act out like this usually?"

"I mean it Scott, you're not dad, you can't ground me."

"I'm only trying to be a good brother, I've had to get Virgil and John through their teenage years and now it's your turn."

"I want you to just be my brother and now you've turned into a parent."

"Come with me," he waited by the door and Gordon joined him raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Where are you taking me?"

Scott led him down to his bedroom and opened the door, "Alan isn't the only one young enough to have a cuddly toy," he reached up to his shelf and brought down a cat, "I was obsessed with cats as a kid, don't you remember?"

"I was very young. Scott, this hardly looks touched."

Scott smiled as he sat down on the edge of his bed, "that's because I rarely hold it anymore, I don;t want you to grow up but I do want you to leave Alan alone with his giraffe, mum got it for him."

"I just wanted to play, my toys are too special."

"And Alan's are to him."

Gordon sighed as he watched Scott;s fingers stroke the cat's ears, "I'm sorry."

"I know you are," Scott put the cat back up on the shelf with a tender smile, "even Kayo has a teddy bear, I've seen it. Do not tell her or she'll beat me up."

Gordon laughed, "FAB."

Scott grinned, "Dad's code, we haven't said that for ages."

Gordon stood up, "when do I get to go out on missions?"

"When you're fifteen, you're too vulnerable at the moment."

"But you get to!"

"I'm eighteen, that's an adult. I don't want you getting hurt."

"And Virgil?"

"He's old enough, we're not fully operational yet anyway, we can only do small rescues, Brains is happy changing our ships over and over again at the moment anyway," they turned out of the room and made for the lounge which was strangely quiet, "you wait, you'll be a teen before you know it and I'll start going grey."

Gordon nodded as he entered the lounge ahead of Scott then stopped dead, "eww."

Scott collided into the back of him, "what?"

Virgil let go of Kayo hastily from where he had been kissing her at the piano, "umm, hey, everything ok?"

"I just turned a huge corner Scott!" Gordon blushed scarlet.

Kayo gasped, "you guys weren't... Oh shit."

"It's a good thing you're not related or that would be so wrong what you just did," Scott burst out laughing at the two on the piano stool, "whatever, just keep it PG huh?"

Virgil smiled apologetically at Kayo, "they would find out eventually anyway."

"It's about time actually," Scott smiled, "we've been getting bored watching you flirt."

Kayo covered her face with her hands, "urgh."


	10. Defense

After the Hood had made his way onto the island and the Mechanic had once gained access to their communications network, Kayo had decided with the others that security systems had to be upgraded, number locks were everywhere with individual pass codes for restricted areas and the hangars. Now that they knew of the Chaos Crew's technical abilities, it wouldn't be long before the Hood would try to get the Thunderbirds again one way or another. A lot of maintenance work had been done between missions and Kayo took them on a tour of the new systems one afternoon after they had been dealing with the CC team.

"If there's an attack on the island, the basement is now fully armed and locks from the outside."

"What if Havoc were to get down here?" Scott asked crossing his arms.

"I've accounted for that after seeing what she can do, if she types one code wrong an electric pulse is activated which will render her gloves inoperative," she paused to smile, "so I recommend not forgetting the code to this and making sure your print is in the system. Let's set it up."

"What do you need us to do?" Gordon frowned as he thought about the shock.

"Put your hand on the pad," Kayo motioned, "I've already put my print down, our gloves are designed to let this system scan through the fabric if we're in uniform too."

"And we won't get shocked?"

"No, I promise."

One by one, the five brothers scanned in their hand print and green lights blinked allowing them access, Scott grinned and Kayo simply waved her hand in acknowledgment of no worries.

"Just some stuff Brains and I have been designing."

"What other surprises do you have in store?" Virgil smiled as the pad turned grey and a red light came on.

"Ok, this way," she led them upstairs and into the corridor, "using the Mole, we dug through from here and now have an escape route to the beach if need be."

"Oh, I know where this goes, it comes out at my cave right?" Gordon smiled broadly, he had been five when he discovered it during a game of hide and seek.

"That's right, from there if the birds haven't been touched we can launch them without being seen."

Scott hummed thoughtfully, "what about the house in general?"

"Well, I was going to leave that for last. The house itself can't be locked up in the same way as everything underground, we have too many visitors and general issues like that. We decided that if the island is attacked, the most important thing to do, is to keep our tech safe and our lives. A house can be redecorated, but if the hangars are destroyed or broken into, we would lose the entire structure of the building."

Scott nodded, "understood."

"What happens to us in the basement?" Alan asked, "I mean if no-one can get in from the outside, how do we get out from the inside?"

Kayo smirked, "there's a built in door we can go through and get to the hangars. The Chaos Crew won't know about hidden doors."

"Kayo, Fuse has his own cloaking device, he could walk into us and we wouldn't see him," John raised an eyebrow, "have you considered that?"

"Of course I have...Oh, now that you mention it. Brains, any suggestions?" Kayo turned anxiously and he smiled.

"I have actually, I have set up some s-special CCTV cameras which can show up devices l-like Fuse's, a s-shimmer will alert us if someone is walking through the corridor but can't be seen by the n-naked eye."

Scott leant casually against the wall, "have you tried it out?"

"Not yet, but that's the next move," Brains grinned as Scott frowned, "it'll work Scott, I know these systems b-backwards."

"What are the pass codes Kayo?" Virgil tucked his hands into his pockets and Kayo nodded.

"I'd recommend making a note of these as we go along," she led them over to the first hangar door where Thunderbirds 1, 3 and 4 sat, "this one is, 041214#."

Alan grinned, "birthdays!"

"That was well worked out, so I'm guessing you can already guess what the other code is?" Kayo replied smugly.

"152087?" Virgil asked with a smirk.

"FAB," Kayo smiled, "our birthdays."

"Do you think that's secure enough?" John opened a link with EOS, "I mean if Havoc hacked into EOS, she would get those codes."

"I won't let anyone hack me again, John. What's going on?"

"We're setting up extra security measures."

EOS squeaked, "I can help, if anyone other than you get onto the island I can double encrypt the codes, it would take someone twice as long to get through."

"That would be great, EOS," Alan grinned, "and here we were thinking all you did was look after John."

"That is my priority, Alan."

"Yes thank you EOS," John hastily added.

Scott rolled his eyes slightly, "yes. Ok, what other codes are there?"

"All of our names are attached to override systems like before, but a camera has also been added so my uncle can't take on one of our appearances, it scans us."

"Good."

"I think we'll be fine then," Gordon said cheerfully, "anyone up for a swim before dinner?"

"I'm up for that," Alan grinned.

"I want to do some more checks with Brains," Kayo shared a look with the scientist.

"And I'll join you," Virgil smiled as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

John narrowed his eyes, "I'll return to Thunderbird 5, let me know when the security is up and running Kayo."

"It already is, you may want to try out your hand print to bring the lift down from Thunderbird 5."

"What?"

"Well do you want the Chaos Crew taking the easy way up to your ship?"

"Of course not."

"Well then, I added some security to your launch, all it requires is a hand print, the three stage process was too long and someone kept fiddling around with it. EOS?"

"It was only a human joke on your brothers, I wouldn't do it again."

John sighed, "she's only teasing, EOS. Ok, I'll try the hand print recognition, see you later."

Scott watched him leave and tuned to Kayo, "do all of our launch pads have this?"

"No, we couldn't do anything to the launch sequences as sometimes we switch ships, it would be too complicated. I have made it harder for the birds to be taken from us however."

"You're not going to keep them on the gamma protocol are you?"

"No Scott, that would be too risky, Brains has set up auto locks if they were to be attacked in stationary position."

"That sounds pretty cool," Virgil grinned, "I want to see that in action."

"Afraid not, and that wouldn't be smart either, you could get hurt."

"By Thunderbird 2? She wouldn't hurt me."

"She might if she didn't think it was you, so we're not trying that out."

"FAB."

They walked upstairs back to the lounge and Kayo tapped in some numbers into the main door leading into the house, she laughed as she remembered John was now up in Thunderbird 5.

"Remind me to tell him this code," she opened the door and led them through, "30012060."

Virgil smiled fondly, "our first real mission. John won't forget that in a hurry."

Gordon laughed, "that was his first call, and he choked like crazy, he had no idea what to say."

Scott cracked a grin as he walked down into the sofa ring and stretched out on one of the couches, "I did feel sorry for him, but then again I was terrified walking across to Thunderbird 1."

"I can't believe you've never installed a safety rail," Gordon grabbed a towel from the beach box, "I thought I was going to die."

"Well you shouldn't have been trying to fly my ship then."

"Ha! See you later."

Virgil chuckled, "none of you have ever used my chute have you?"

"That's because you risk your life before even leaving the island, if you mistimed that flip you'd plunge off the nose cone."

Virgil shrugged as he sat down on the piano stool, "that hasn't happened yet, Scott."

"But it might, just be careful," Kayo kissed his neck then sat down at the desk stretching her legs out underneath, "we should be prepared for anything, even friendly guests. I wonder if we should stop showing people the birds when they come over?"

"Like who?" Alan asked as he pulled out his game console.

"Well mainly children, you never know who they might tell."

"We haven't had that many kids over. I think that's a low issue."

"Alan, I thought you were joining me?!" Gordon cried from outside.

Alan shot up, "oh yeah, the swim. See ya!"

Scott propped his feet up and closed his eyes as he listened to the piece Virgil was playing, "I recognise this. Debussy?"

"Right as always Scott," Virgil praised, "have you heard it before?"

"It's on one of my playlists, Reverie, seems appropriate to sleep to."

"I'll play as gently as I can."

Scott shrugged, "I'm just resting my eyes, play it however you want."

"FAB, but don't say I didn't warn you," Virgil continued to play and ran his hands up and down the keys as Kayo watched him lovingly before turning back to the desk and bringing up a map of the island to mark up more security sites, she highlighted the cave and typed in the words 'back entrance', the room fell quiet minus the gentle thud of the pedal behind her and sweet melody pouring out of the instrument, she looked down at Scott on the nearest sofa and realised he had fallen asleep, "aw."

"What?" Virgil glanced across at her.

"He's asleep, that boy doesn't get enough sleep," she spun the chair round to face Virgil, "was that deliberate?"

"Believe it or not, no it wasn't," he angled his head to the side as he played in the top octaves and brought his left hand down to the lower ranges as his right hand doubled up pressing chords powerfully, "if that didn't wake him, he's out for the count."

"Nope, still asleep," she pushed herself out of the chair and leant on the ledge of the piano, "do you think my security system works?"

Virgil nodded as he played thirds across both hands before modulating back into the tune, his right hand danced at the top of the piano and she stroked his fingers quickly, "I think it's great, I can't see the Chaos Crew coming here, but if they do it's good to be ready."

Kayo sighed, "if they do come here, I'm taking them down myself," she watched his fingers dance as they brought the song to an end and he lifted his foot off the pedal, "I can't help but think they're planning something. I just feel uneasy."

"The Mechanic is in the Hex, the Hood is nowhere near us, we're fine."

"You make that sound so easy, but it's not."

Virgil reached for her hand draping down from the ledge and she walked round to the stool, "don't worry, they can't step foot on this island because we won't let them. The Hood tried it once and learned a lesson not to do it again," he kissed her reassuringly and smiled when she sighed, "better?"

"You're right, if I worry I'll just get stressed."

Virgil began to play 'The Lark', "this will wake Scott up."

"Virgil, no. Let him be."

Virgil grinned at her beside him, "oh alright then, something else. Tracy Island theme I wrote?"

"You wrote a theme song?"

"Well kinda, it's more like just lounge music, only my brothers have heard me play it after our run in with Colonel Janus."

"Yeah, go on then."


	11. Crying

Kayo finds it extremely hard to hold her own emotions when her brothers cry or Virgil breaks down in front of her, she's so used to seeing them strong and being there for unhappy victims. When their mother died, she saw more tears than smiles for a long time and this was all repeated when Jeff disappeared. Eight years to the day and she found herself promising to keep a brother's secret from the others, but sometimes even controlling her own emotions were an impossibility. "Hey, it's ok," she wrapped her arms tightly around Gordon, he was the joker of the family, the one whose smile could cheer up anyone, and to find him crying was worse than anything she had ever come across.

"He's gone Kayo, he can't be but he is. Eight years today."

"I know," she stroked her fingers down the back of his neck.

"Please don't tell my brothers about this, I never cry," he whispered unhappily.

"Now that's just not true," she rubbed his back and felt him shudder with sobs again.

"Both parents, now we're orphans."

Kayo felt tears come to her own eyes at Gordon's despair, "you've got Grandma, and she's not going anywhere," she turned to look at him and brushed the tears off his cheeks, "Jeff must've had a plan, he just ran out of time."

"He never runs out of time, that was the first mistake he's ever made," Gordon wept as he drew his legs up to his chest on the rock he was sitting on, "the Zero X blew up and we didn't get to say goodbye."

"I know little brother," she sighed sorrowfully as tears rolled down his cheeks, "I know it hurts, my dad is gone too, he's not dead but he still left me. I feel like I've lost a piece of myself."

Gordon nodded as he stared out at the ocean, "uh-huh," he ran a hand across his eyes, "I can't believe it's been eight years and we still don't know why that ship blew up."

"We'll find out," she hugged him again, "are you going to be ok?"

Gordon sighed, "yeah, I'll come back to the house soon," he felt her arms release from his sides and smiled, "thanks Kayo, I didn't know you could be soft."

"You're welcome," she walked back to the house and made her way to the room she shared with Virgil, which was his to begin with, she walked in and closed the door behind her sadly before sitting down on the bed, without knowing why, she found her eyes filling with tears which spilled over when she bowed her head, she didn't even notice when the door opened and warm arms encased her against red chequered plaid.

"Virgil?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks," Kayo sniffed as she rested her hand on his leg.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't say. I promised. But it made me think this, I don't have parents and if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have siblings either," she trailed off as sobs filled her throat, "I would've had to live with my uncle."

"What are you getting at?"

"I would rather be an orphan, than be with my uncle, Virgil. You guys have each other, I have no-one."

"You have me?" Virgil smiled.

"I wouldn't have ever met you, Virgil, not if I had never come to the island with my father, my uncle would have raised me and possibly turned me against International Rescue in the future."

"But Kayo, it didn't happen, and you're here with us. The alternative is a path you can ignore," he rocked her gently beside him as he pressed his head to hers, the top of his spiked hair brushing her forehead, "don't cry."

Kayo sighed beside him and a tear fell onto his jeans, "eight years."

Virgil nodded, "yeah, I know, but I'm not the one crying. Now which of my brothers is?"

Kayo looked round at him, "he said not to tell."

Virgil gazed into her eyes and hummed, "Gordon. Is he ok?"

"But how did you?" Kayo frowned as she wiped her eyes.

"I can tell it's not Scott or you wouldn't be crying, Alan would just come to one of us, John is in Thunderbird 5 so that leaves Gordon."

Kayo clutched his hands, "don't go and look for him, or he'll know I said something."

"FAB, but is he ok?"

"Apart from crying, yes, he just misses your dad."

"Like we all do."

"Are you ok?" Kayo asked as she reached up to twist Virgil's hair around her finger playfully.

Virgil jerked his head back, not even his girlfriend was allowed to play with the spike, "I just feel empty, but I have you which helps me get through it."

"Awh," Kayo sniffed, "I don't believe I do help."

"When was the last time I cried?"

Kayo smirked, "last week watching 'Inside Out' with me."

"That doesn't count," he poked her nose with the tip of his finger.

"Ok, well I can't think of a time then."

"That's because you give me the comfort I need. The same way Scott looks for it in me, John looks for it in Scott, Gordon goes for anyone and Alan goes to Gordon."

"That's like a game of rock, paper, scissors," she chuckled, "I go to whoever is willing to put up with me, I've never liked crying in front of boys."

"Oh sweetheart," Virgil wrapped his arms around her again and sat back on the bed, she curled up between his legs and he smiled, "want to get a drink?"

"I would, yeah," she reached up and kissed him hard smiling when she felt his hands tighten on her back, she sighed and broke the kiss, "I love you."

"You do?" Virgil pulled back grinning.

"Of course I do."

"You've just never said it like that before."

Kayo smiled seductively, "you love me right?"

"You bet I do," Virgil attacked her with kisses again and they wrapped their arms around each other.


	12. Space Duties

"And what is that?"

"Transmitter, if we didn't have that, we wouldn't get any calls."

"Ooh disable it, we could do with a break," Alan grinned which only earned him a glare from John, "I'm joking gingerbread."

"Don't call me that, you're not Gordon."

"So," Alan stretched back in the zero gravity, "what do you want me to do exactly?"

"Just help with space duties."

"I'm not dealing with the toilet."

"I'm not asking you to, EOS does that. It's all automated. We need to get rid of the old rescue logs, they're clogging up space."

"And what are you going to do?" Alan made for the door out of the hub.

"What I usually do, monitor the Earth and categorise what calls are important or not, have fun," he grinned and Alan pouted, "oh come on, reliving memories can be fun, especially the prank calls."

Alan sighed, "alright then, see you in about an hour."

"It'll take you longer than that, and make sure none of them are new."

"FAB."

John chuckled as the door closed and he turned back to the globe, he zoomed in on a tidal wave and opened a channel with the island, "hey guys, we have a possible situation."

"Alan causing trouble is he?" Scott smirked.

"Ha-ha. No, I've just been alerted to a tidal wave out in the Indian Ocean, put Gordon on standby."

Gordon nodded, "I'm on my way down John. Thunderbird 4 out."

"Do you need a lift, Gordon?" Virgil asked as the aquanuat ran up the steps.

"Not yet Virg, I'll call if it starts to get ugly."

"FAB."  
Scott smirked as Virgil turned back to his sketch, "what have you got Alan doing exactly John?"

"Going through the old logs, they need clearing. It takes ages."

"Good."

"Why is he doing this again?" Virgil frowned as he lowered the sketch pad onto his knees.

"It's punishment for jamming one of his astroboards into the docking tunnel," John smiled, "it's very quiet today."

"Hmm, it's a relief from the week we've just had," Scott sighed, "out every day."

"Yeah, I know, I was the one taking the calls."

"You're lucky your missions are always in space."

"Not always as you know."

Alan floated into the room, "John, this is taking too long."

"It's only what you deserve," Scott scolded and Alan yelped.

"Scott!"

"Yep, that's me, and if you're about to complain maybe you should think about why we had to fix the docking tube for you."

"Urghhh!" Alan groaned, "it was an accident, you've got to believe me!"

"And I do believe you, but you're still going to sort out those backlogs," Scott crossed his arms.

"Dad wouldn't make me do this."

"Yes he would, and as acting dad, get on with it," Scott's eyes narrowed and even in hologram form, Alan backed off slightly.

"FAB."

John smirked, "nicely handled."

Scott shrugged, "I'm used to it."

"Hey guys, I need a pickup, the wave has settled," Gordon appeared from his portrait.

"On my way," Virgil ran over to his chute and disappeared down to Thunderbird 2.

A couple of hours passed and Alan returned into the hub again, he yawned and John smiled at him.

"Done?"

"Yes, finally."

"Ok then, you're free to go down to the house now."

"Thanks."

"Don't fly into the tube again though, or I will make you do the sewage work next time."

Alan nodded, "I promise."

"Thanks for the help, little brother."

"You're welcome," Alan smiled then left the airlock to return to Thunderbird 3, "Thunderbird 3, is go!"


	13. Dance Fighting

Scott walked past the combat training room and heard music coming from inside, this wasn't really a surprise as all of them usually worked out to their own playlists, but yet he was intrigued. He opened the door and poked his head round to see what was going on, his eyes laid on Kayo and Virgil dancing, but not ballroom or rhythmic, they were fighting.

"Hey guys, stop!" Scott ran in as Kayo backflipped almost hitting Virgil in the face.

Virgil hit the pause button on the phone and looked around at him, "Scott, what are you doing here?"  
"I wasn't going to come in until I saw you guys fighting. What's happened?"

Kayo wiped her face with a towel then laughed, "it's called dance fighting."

"Dance fighting?"

"Yep, it's good for self-defence. Say Virgil was going to attack me? I can think of a song and confuse the attacker with dance moves before I incorporate kicks into it. Look, I'll show you."

Only then did Scott realise how little the two of them were wearing, Kayo only in a sports bra and shorts and his brother just wearing a tank top and shorts. Scott moved to stand against the wall and watched as Kayo pressed play on her phone, Virgil got into an attack stance in front of her pinning her to the wall and she grinned at him, her lower body swayed and in quick dodges she escaped out of his arms, he then replied with his own dance and Scott stared gobsmacked at his tank of a brother's flexibility effortlessly darting through Kayo's legs before they finished aiming a punch at each other but not making contact, they kissed instead and Scott cleared his throat.

"Umm, interesting."

Kayo smirked as she touched her wrist controller and the music turned off, "you see Scott? Of course, if we _were_ being attacked then those punches would be real. Want to have a go?"

"I can't dance," Scott gulped, blushing slightly.

"Move the way you do when dodging, but add a dance flare."

Virgil sat down and grabbed a bottle of water, "this will be good."

"I can't do this," Scott sighed.

Kayo nodded, "come on, I'll be gentle."

"Hmm, I'm not sure about this," Scott took his shirt off and grabbed a clean tank top out of the lockers, "be back in a minute."

"I'll grade him," Virgil crossed his arms in amusement.

Kayo smirked as she stretched her calf muscles, "don't be mean Virgil, you weren't great when you first started."

"I was better than Alan."

"You certainly were."

Scott returned wearing joggers, "so, how do we start?"

"You mean what position?" Kayo asked as she walked away from Virgil.

"Yeah."

"Wait, you guys could dance to live music, hang on!" Virgil leapt up and ran out of the gym.

Kayo rolled her eyes, "he just wants to humiliate you. Do what I do ok And please don't tread on me or I'll revert to using actual fighting."

"So I don't hold you or anything?"

"Imagine we're combat training but the attack moves you make react to the music, keep track of the timing whether it's slow or fast. No doubt Virgil will go fast."

"Great," Scott's voice was coated with sarcasm and Kayo laughed as Virgil walked in holding his guitar and sat down on the bench in the room.

"Virgil, not too manic ok?"

"We'll see," Virgil simply smiled and propped his foot upon a weights brick.

"Let's try this Scott," Kayo nodded at Virgil and he strummed the rhythm to a tango, "don't panic and don't hit me."

Virgil watched them with a laugh and he played faster, "Scott, move your feet, if this were real you would have been knocked out ages ago."

"That's not helping, Virgil," Scott dodged Kayo's hands then yelped as she flipped over his legs.

Virgil shrugged, "I'm only pointing out the obvious."

Kayo twirled past the guitar and ran her hand across it before returning to the floor, "you're really not helping sweetheart."

Scott smirked and focused on the tune, "ok, I think I've got it."

Virgil's jaw dropped as he watched his eldest brother move in a way he had never seen before, he almost stopped playing but managed to keep his fingers pressed on the strings, he brought the tango to an end and Kayo balanced on Scott's shin holding an invisible knife aimed at his leg, "wow guys."

Scott grinned, "and that counts as combat training?"

Virgil put the guitar down, "according to Kayo."

Scott helped her to her feet, "have you used this on anyone?"

"Not yet, I would love to use it on Fuse, mainly because that man can't even walk gracefully, let alone fight," she chuckled, "we don't come across criminals often enough to have to use this technique, I just find it fun."

"Thanks for showing me," Scott smiled graciously, "I feel like I've worked out more than in usual training."

"Different body muscles," Kayo tucked her phone into her shorts, "shower time I think."

Virgil watched her go, "nice dancing, Scott, if you ever get a girlfriend, I'll tell her you can dance."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Virgil dropped his guitar off in his room and heard the shower turn off, "Kayo?"

"Yeah, come in!"

Virgil smirked as he entered the ensuite, "I smell lavender."

Kayo smiled, "body lotion. The shower is all yours," she stroked the back of his neck and squeaked as he held her tightly against him.

"You could've waited for me," Virgil whispered next to her ear and she shivered.

"Not this time."

"FAB, I'll be out soon."

"Want a coffee?"

"Umm, I'd love one. Thanks," Virgil kissed her then turned the water on as Kayo shut the door behind her.

Kayo got dressed with a grin on her face then almost skipped down to the kitchen where John was sitting after deciding to take a break from zero gravity, "hi John."

"Someone's in a good mood huh?"

"I certainly am, your brother is the most charming man I've ever met."

John played cool, "which one?"

"Oh very funny," she got Virgil's piano decorated mug out of the cupboard and a cat one for herself, "I couldn't be with anyone else more compassionate."

"Mmm," John simply hummed in agreement.

Kayo rolled her eyes as she dropped a sugar cube into Virgil's mug, "ever heard of dance fighting John?"

"Yes, and you're not going to try it with me. I don't need to know how to use it."

"FAB," she poured with a frown then added milk without another word, before she left she simply uttered a short "bye" then walked upstairs to the lounge where Virgil was just entering, "that was quick. I was bringing it up to you."

"Practise can't wait," Virgil grinned as he sat down at the piano, "but thanks."

"I'll leave it on the desk," she held her mug in her hands and sat down close beside him, "Virg, does John like me?"


	14. Bad hair day

It's streaked with the tiniest of grays but overall it's beautifully chestnut the whole way through, it's also extremely well looked after, Scott combs it more than twice a day and of course after every mission, adding the most generous amount of gel to keep it looking shiny. When it comes to hair pranks, Gordon always chooses the two eldest, their hair is the easiest to dye, he tried with John once and the middle child hid for a month wearing hats and selecting voice only on calls, when he showed himself again he ignored Gordon for a further month making sure the prankster didn't mess with him again. Alan didn't care what colour his hair was as long as it could be gelled, but Scott and Virgil were the complete opposite, their hair was important to them and that's why they were Gordon's go to.

Virgil heard a yell from his brother's room and he knocked, "Scott?"

"That little monster has done it again!" Scott stormed into the corridor, his appearance was normal all apart from the purple which now tinted his hair.

"Hmm, it's not the worst I've seen," Virgil shrugged, trying to hide a smile.

"Do not use your shampoo Virgil, I have a feeling he's not left you out of this," Scott frowned angrily as another sibling walked into the corridor, "you!"

"Oh shit!" Gordon skidded to a halt and turned to run, Scott took off after him and grabbed him by the shirt.

"Don't hurt him Scott," Virgil caught up with them, "have you tainted my hair dye too, minnow?"

"No no," Gordon gulped, "but you haven't used it yet, have you?"

"Oh you little goblin," Virgil grimaced, "it better not be my gel."

"Is this permanent?" Scott asked as Gordon squirmed in his grip.

"6-8 weeks, it doesn't bleach so your hair will be fine."

"That's not the point, enough with the hair pranks."

"I think you look good," Gordon smirked but earned a shove instead, "hey!"

"Gordon, what colour have you put in my product?" Virgil frowned as Scott ran his hands through his hair unhappily.

"Umm, well, it's hard adding colour to your hair, so I've put itching powder in your hair powder instead."

"I'm pouring it away and buying more," Virgil muttered.

"That's a waste of product."

Kayo laughed walking out of Virgil's room, "purple. What have you done Gordon?"

"Had some fun."

"Awh, it doesn't look that bad Scott, you look like a punk," Kayo ruffled his hair, "ooh and it smells like grape."

"I don't take that as a compliment."

"Your hair doesn't look any different Virgil?" Kayo frowned.

"That's because I haven't added anything to it yet, and it's a good thing I didn't. Gordon, please don't ever mess with my gel, ok?"

Gordon sighed, "oh alright then, I'll think of something else."

"Or you could just stop for good?" Scott shot back as the aquanaut smirked, "Gordon, I'm serious."

"Yeah I know, those frown lines could make craters in your face."

Kayo laughed, "that's mean. Virgil, training?"

"I'll be right with you."

Scott turned back to Gordon, "I'm going to get you back for this."

"Oh when? I'll book it somewhere."

"Just keep a lookout."

Later that day Scott lay in wait by the pool, he had seen Gordon practicing his underwater routines and so had taken an opportunity to tamper with his towel, everything was ready and all he needed to do now was to just sunbathe and countdown, Virgil and Kayo were helping Grandma with some gardening in the area beside the pool and Alan was doing some homework in the kitchen as John sat in holoform beside him to help. Gordon emerged with a grin and checked his watch before climbing out of the pool.

"Three minute routine on the dot!"

"Nice one Gordon, that's pretty impressive."

Gordon burst out laughing at how brightly Scott's purple hair was shining in the sun, "you're looking fabulous Scott! And thanks," he grabbed his towel much to Scott's delight and ran it over his hair bursting the bright pink colour mousse over it, "arhgh! What the heck!"

Virgil looked over and laughed loudly, "oh wow!"

Scott crossed his arms, "checkmate."

Kayo giggled, "oh Penny will love this," she sprinted over and took a photo.

"Kayo, no!"

"Kayo, yes," she pressed send with a smirk and Gordon threw the pink towel at Scott's face, he dodged and laughed again.

Grandma wasn't so pleased, "that's the third towel you monsters have ruined. Scott and Gordon, you're on laundry duty for a week."

"But Grandma, he turned my hair purple," Scott protested, "it was payback."

"And this is mine."

Gordon growled, "how long will this take to wash out?"

"Who knows, but you may want to smarten it up a bit."

Gordon stormed up to the house, "don't say anything you two."

Alan burst out laughing, "awh cute, FabG."

John smirked, "maybe you'll think twice before messing around with hair products, Scott was the first prankster, not you."

"Yeah, sure he was."

Virgil laughed as he twirled a trowel in his hand, "well played, Scott."

"Thanks Virgil. What has Penelope said, Kayo?"

"She loves it, she says it matches the car," Kayo giggled, "I'll forward it to Gordon."


	15. Modulo de placer (M)

"We can't do any more searching tonight Virgil, it's too dark, not even the pod lights could find it."

"We're going to be in so much trouble, Brains will kill me when he finds out."

"You're the one who crashed it."

"I thought I could pilot it in the dark."

"Turns out you couldn't," Kayo grinned, "come on, it's getting cold, we'll shelter in the module and look for it tomorrow."

"It's not much warmer in there than it is out here."

"Virg, come on."

"Alright, alright," Virgil followed Kayo inside and the ramp closed behind them locking them inside Thunderbird 2.

"I have a way to make it warm in here."

Virgil smirked, "I'm sure you do, and I'll make it cosier."

Kayo watched him cross the module and grab a fleece from the supply compartment, "for after?"

"That's what I was thinking," he swung her into his arms and kissed her hard, she pushed him back against the wall without breaking the embrace and smiled under his lips as his fingers unzipped her suit down her chest and to her hips, she bit her bottom lip gently as her fingers unclipped his baldric, it fell to the floor with a thump.

"Where next?" Virgil asked brushing his lips against her cheek.

"Suit," she unzipped his suit down his front and his chest came into view, "not wearing a shirt this time?"

"I alternate," Virgil hoisted her up onto the med bed and she wrapped her ankles around his hips.

"How are you going to get out of this?"

Virgil smirked, "I guess I'll just have to let go of you," he pulled his boots off and removed the suit without hesitation, "well I'm done."

Kayo ran her fingers across his abs, "my my, someone has been working out lately."

Virgil grinned at her from her shorts to her sports bra, "as have you."

"You can fit two people on this bed right?"

"Well, we can try."

Kayo pulled him onto the bed on top of her and kissed him again, her hands ran down his body to his legs and she gasped as he did the same stopping to stroke her knees, "wait, wait."

"What's up?"

"You for a start," she smirked eyeing him from below up, "but have you turned the coms off?"

Virgil smirked and reached up to a button without needing to look, "I have now." Kayo laughed behind closed lips before kissing him again and remaining clothes quickly turned to bare skin, the module was feeling very hot now and Kayo looked up at Virgil poised above her.

"What is the fleece for then?"

"Sleeping," Virgil pulled out and stroked her cheek, "we can't tell anyone about this."

"Your brothers know about us," Kayo sat up and hopped off the bed to pick her shorts up off the floor of the module.

"They don't know about the stuff we get up to."

"They have a guess though, right?" Kayo looked round at him, "I mean it's pretty obvious."

Virgil pulled his shorts on, "I don't think they like to," he smirked, "makes them feel weird."

"Well too bad," she ran a hand through her hair, "I'm not giving you up."

"I don't want you to."

Kayo sighed, "as much as this is a module of pleasure now, can we move to the bedroom? The floor doesn't look too comfortable."

"It's only a single bed up there," Virgil mused.

"Even better," Kayo smiled then squeaked as he scooped her up into his arms pressing her against his chest, "are you just going to leave your clothes here?"

"Yep. We can clear up tomorrow morning."

Kayo smiled, "sounds good to me," she smiled as he eased his way up the steps with her, "I always forget how strong you are."

"You don't weigh anything sweetheart."

"Is that teasing or the truth?"

Virgil shrugged, "a bit of both," he put her down gently and opened the door to the bedroom, "I'm just going to check we're all locked up in the cockpit and I'll join you."

Kayo nodded, "don't take too long," she slipped into the room and turned the lights on, like most of the ship's interior, green shone back at her bordered by black lines, but the bed was pristine white and a vase decorated the small room holding shoots of lavender, his mother's favourite herb, she smiled and crawled onto the bed taking a deep breath of Virgil's scent he left in every room.

"Oh we're busted," Virgil walked into the room laughing.

"What, why?"

"John just called, and I answered like this," he looked down at his bare chest and shorts.

"Did you tell a lie?"

"No."

"Virg," she whined, "you could've said you were about to have a shower or something," she fell back onto the pillow hiding her face, the bed dipped closer to her before Virgil was beside her giving her puppy dog eyes, "knock it off!" She laughed and pushed him back playfully, "you know John is jealous of us, don't torture him."

"He had his chance and he didn't take it," Virgil stretched, "he wants to know if we found the drone, but we haven't. Scott is coming out tomorrow to help us."

"Scott!? Virgil, it takes him seconds, do not let me sleep in ok? The last thing I need is for him to see me half naked."

"You wear bikinis all the time by the pool?"

"This is different," she snuggled up beside him sighing happily, "was everything locked?"

"Oh yeah, anything tries to get in, they'll be in for a shock," he winked and Kayo groaned, "oh come on, that was funny."

"You're as bad as Gordon sometimes."

"Ouch, where did that come from?"

"Words are your enemy."

"Not all of the time, there have been moments when you've swooned because of my words," Virgil mused, "or when I sing to you."

"You don't have an instrument with you," Kayo yawned as she got further under the sheets, "if you pull out a piano, I'll eat the lavender."

"What about a keyboard?"

Kayo closed her eyes with a laugh, "how did I fall in love with someone like you, or just you to be exact?"

"Alright, I won't, let's get some sleep. Unless?"

"We made out in the module, I'm too tired now."

"Want a massage?"

Kayo opened one eye, "hmm, that doesn't sound like a bad idea."

Virgil turned on the heater as Kayo turned onto her stomach, "I wish we could have more missions like this," he said as he pressed his knuckles into her shoulder blades.

"Parking Thunderbird 2 somewhere in the wilderness and camping?" Kayo smirked towards the wall.

"No no, I mean us two in Thunderbird 2. You could always leave Shadow at home and come with me."

"I like my ship."

"Alright, just trying to be more of a boyfriend."

Kayo reached back for his hand, "and you're a wonderful boyfriend sweetheart."

Virgil smiled, "sleep time. I love you."

"I love you too," she yawned and pressed her cheek into the pillow feeling Virgil's lips kiss the back of her head, he turned the lights off and she fell asleep listening to the quiet hum of Thunderbird 2.

Dawn broke and Thunderbird 1 landed beside her sister, Scott leapt out and disarmed the behemoth, the module door opened and Scott walked up the ramp, clothes scattered the floor and he smirked. There was a shuffling of feet and he looked up as Virgil skidded through the door followed by Kayo who was wrapped in the fleece.

"Well well, had fun did we?" Scott asked, amused by their pink faces and he tutted at their uniforms on the floor.

Virgil hastily pulled his flight suit on, "you could've given us the heads up?"

"How could I? You turned the comms off."

Virgil closed his eyes with a sigh, "oh yes, so I did."

"Can you two both look away for a moment please? So I can get dressed," Kayo crossed her arms over the fleece and Virgil tugged Scott's arm, "thank you."

"We'll start the search," Virgil adjusted his baldric then followed Scott down the ramp of the module.

"You scored big last night then brother?" Scott asked, smirking when Virgil shoved him gently, "it's pretty obvious that you did."

"Searching led to sleeping."

"With a little love in between. I could've followed the trails of clothes to the bedroom."

"No you couldn't."

Kayo walked down the ramp fully clothed in her uniform and joined the boys, "you're here to help us find this drone, and nothing more."

"I wouldn't have thought the module was comfortable enough to make love in, but it looks like I stand corrected."

"Okay, that's enough," Kayo laughed and tackled him, he dodged her moves and Virgil got between them, "let me get him."

"We have a job to do."

Scott laughed, "that's that then."

"Scott, don't be childish," Virgil rolled his eyes, "the sooner we find that drone, the sooner we can go home."

Kayo walked past Scott and grinned, "if you really want know, it was great."


	16. Shopping trip

"It's about time you let loose."

"Oh Lady Penelope, you know how much I hate shopping?"

"Just Penelope when we're not working, Kayo, and you won't hate it after I take you." Virgil smiled only hearing Kayo's side of the phone call and he looked back at her through the mirror laughing softly when she stuck her tongue out, "Kayo?" Penelope called through the phone.

"Sorry, Virgil was distracting me. Fine I'll come with you, shall I fly over or other way round?"

"Fly over."  
"FAB," Kayo acknowledged Lady Penelope's goodbye and hung up, "shut up Virg."

"I didn't say anything."

"Your actions say more than words. Hmm, I better pack I suppose."

"Why do you hate shopping?" Virgil asked as he joined her on the chaise.

"Well, it's not so much I hate it, I just don't have much experience going. I never really had girlfriends to go and spree with as I've always lived here, plus shopping in person is a thing of the past, nearly everyone shops online today."

"There's more to this isn't there?"

Kayo sighed, "I used to go shopping with my mum, but after she died, I kinda went off it."

"Penelope won't put pressure on you if you explain that to her," Virgil wrapped his arm around her, "but I think you should go."

Kayo stood up and grabbed a small luggage bag, "tell Scott I'm taking Shadow, I think Penelope wants us to go as soon as possible."

"FAB. I'll come and see you off, I have another lady to check on."

Kayo smirked, "her needs are greater than mine."

"But you're more important to me," Virgil kissed her forehead then smiled as Kayo pulled him into a kiss by his collar, she let him go with a grin, "whoa."

"I'm going to miss you," Kayo sighed as she stroked his chin with her fingertips.

"Ditto. See you in the hangar."

Kayo began packing for an overnight stay and decided to get changed for the flight to England, it would take her three hours at top speed and that made her feel even more reluctant to go, she was a girl of action not sauntering down aisles, if they were shopping for weapons she might feel more inclined to be excited but this was clothes and shoes, she tied up a pair of combat boots and slung a jacket around her shoulders before checking her hair in the mirror and picked up her bag.

"Hey Kayo, I heard you're going shopping?" Scott smiled as Kayo walked into the corridor with her luggage bag.

"Yeah, but I really don't want to go."

"It's just shopping, even I don't mind doing it."

"Go in my place then," Kayo smirked, "I better go, it's three hours to London."

"Fly safe," Scott smiled and she hugged him, he pressed a kiss into her hair the way he always did to show affection then watched her walk down to the direct lift to the hangars, Virgil jumped down to the ground as he saw the lift coming down and he met Kayo by the doors.

"I could always drop you off?" He stepped into her stride.

"You should ask Gordon to come then so he can see Penny."

"He phones her almost everyday, I'm not telling him anything. It'll only take two hours in Thunderbird 2."

Kayo chuckled, "oh fine, but gear up, I want to get there today."

"I'll fly in casuals, it's just a drop-off."

"You know Penelope doesn't like you landing on her lawn?"

"Tough. Let's go," Virgil pressed a button on the wall for the hangar to be cleared and the fuel lines retracted from Thunderbird 2 as the couple made their way up to the cockpit, lights flashed and Kayo sat in the co-pilot's chair as Virgil ran pre-flight checks, "Ok, she's good to go."

"Take her out," Kayo smiled as the engines purred and hangar surroundings became foliage, the sun shone down onto the runway and out of the corner of her eye she saw Virgil smile, he always preferred taking off in sunshine rather than rain. Thunderbird 2 reached the end of the strip and he smiled at her when she nodded, "ready Virg?"

"Always," Virgil fired the rear thrusters and they took off, it wasn't long until they reached 99,000 feet and levelled out.

"You never take her to her maximum height."

"Saves energy, 100 is pushing it. Hold on, engaging boosters."

Kayo held onto her chair as the ship lurched to top speed, "thank you for dropping me off Virgil, it's always nicer to fly with someone."

"My pleasure," Virgil lowered his shoulders as he settled back into his chair, "I didn't want you going alone, a three hour flight is long in Shadow."

"I would've been ok."

"I know you would, but that's just what I'm like."

"I'm going to take a nap, I need to get used to the time difference."

Virgil pressed play on his phone and smiled as piano music drifted around the cockpit, "I'll wake you up when we get to Penny's."

The final hour passed, during which Virgil had also had slept in, Kayo had awoken to find his arms around her and she smiled before drifting back to sleep for the remainder of the hour.

"Kayo, wake up sweet pea, we've arrived."

"Ummm. Ok, take her down."

Virgil fired the VTOL engines and lowered Thunderbird 2 down onto Lady Penelope's front lawn, "she's going to kill me, maybe I should take off immediately."

"You know she's going to invite you in for tea first, you may as well come in with me."

"I have to get back to the island," Virgil stood up and readjusted his shirt, "I wish I had dressed up smarter."

"You look fine," Kayo smiled at his black jeans over a pair of boots, "very handsome in my opinion."

Lady Penelope stood outside her front door and smiled as Virgil and Kayo approached the house, "I hope you didn't squash the crocuses."

"If I did, sorry in advance," Virgil grinned looking fondly back at Thunderbird 2 which was parked snug between the bushes, her nose shadowing over the driveway, "I thought Kayo would like to be dropped off."

"I thought you didn't like using your ship as a taxi?"

"I make exceptions," Virgil wrapped his arm around Kayo's shoulders and smiled at her, "let me know when you want to be picked up."

Kayo nodded, "don't go too far then."

Lady Penelope gasped, "how rude, anyone would think I'm torturing you Kayo, it's only a shopping trip."

Virgil laughed, "I'll come over tomorrow unless you change your mind."

"Fly safe," Kayo pressed her hands to his chest as she looked up at him, "and let me know if there's a mission."

"FAB," he kissed her then stepped back turning away from the house.

"Come on in Kayo, Parker has made tea for us," Lady Penelope smiled fondly at the embrace.

Kayo watched Virgil ascend into Thunderbird 2 then followed Lady Penelope into the house, Sherbert barked and she bent down to pick him up, "hey Bertie."

"If you're worried about the shopping Kayo, don't be, I'm not taking us to the normal shops. It's spy work and coffee."

"Spy work?" Kayo asked as she sat down on one of the white sofas and Penelope sat down opposite to pour out two cups, "for a mission?"

"Not a mission, I want to get some equipment and well we both do the same jobs one way or another, that's why I invited you."

Kayo smiled as Penelope handed her a cup, "I must admit, that does relieve me. I thought you were going to suggest dress shopping or something."

"To a degree yes, but mostly undercover."

"Where are you going to find that stuff then?"

"I know a little place on Oxford Street, you need a code to get inside and we have one. You may find stuff in there to benefit the rescue organisation too, or at least your side of it."

"Like security?"

Penelope helped herself to a piece of shortbread, "possibly."

"Did Jeff know about this place?"

"Oh absolutely, he accompanied myself and my father there when I was younger to The Vault, oh that's its name, and I believe he took stuff back to the island, defence systems."

"WASP?"

"No, that's within my house."

Kayo hummed thoughtfully, "ok, you've sparked my interest."

"And mine regarding you and Virgil, how are you two doing?"

Kayo blushed as she smiled, "I feel the same way as you do with Gordon when I'm with him."

"That fun?"

"Well I don't really want to know what Gordon is like as a lover since I know what he's like as a brother, but Virgil is so different from how he is on missions. Strictly professional but so romantic then we kickback. He'll show me affection in the danger zone but never puts our relationship into the public eye."

Penelope raised an eyebrow, "doesn't that worry you?"

"Worry?"

"That he would be unfaithful to you?"

"Never, he would never put us in that situation."

"I see the way he's always holding onto you, whether it's a hand on your back or just his shoulder against yours on missions," she smiled, "he won't leave you for anyone."

"Was that a test?"

"My own personal one, yes. Now, let's get ready to leave," she walked over to a button on the wall and it wasn't long before Parker opened the lounge doors.

"You rang M'Lady?"

"Bring the car around Parker, we're off to London."

"Very good M'Lady, is his lordship joining us?" Parker looked down at the dog chewing his laces.

"No, he will be staying here, the shop doesn't like dogs inside."

"Yes M'Lady, come on you," Parker nudged Sherbet out of the door with the tip of his shoe and Penelope smiled at Kayo.

"Let's go, the sooner we get there, the less we'll be seen by others, it'll start to get busy after eleven."

Kayo got into the back of the car with Penelope and pulled her seatbelt on, "are we driving or flying there?"

Penelope watched the door fold down and lock, "a bit of both, take her up Parker."

"Right away M'Lady, hold on tight Miss Kyrano."

Kayo grinned as the car lifted off the ground, "this still gives me flutters, it's so different from being in one of the Thunderbirds."

FAB1 approached the city and touched down on a quiet street just off Drury Lane, Parker smiled and programmed in a shortcut as Lady Penelope looked out of the window, Kayo sighed and thought back to her days as a child.

"I was raised here."

"In London? Yes, we know."

"I wish I had never lived with my uncle, there was something sinister about him, even then."

"Sinister?"

Kayo nodded, "he just had plans to make money, it looked innocent, but it wasn't."

"Coming h'up on our destination, M'Lady."

"Good, I'll prepare the code," she opened her compact and called John, "it's time."

"John, you're in on this?" Kayo frowned and the middle child looked across to her.

"Only the code," John frowned back, "I didn't know about the shopping trip."

"FAB. Did Virgil get home ok?"

"He's on the island, so yes. I'm fine too."

Lady Penelope rolled her eyes, "code please?"

John nodded, "of course, sending it to your compact now."

"Thank you, have a good day."

John simply smiled, "FAB," he gave a final glance at Kayo then hung up.

"Well, what was that about?" Penelope asked as the car stopped.

"I think John resents the fact that I chose his brother over him," she sighed, "now what?"

Lady Penelope grinned at Parker, "here Parker, do your thing."

"Yes M'Lady," Parker took the compact from her and held it up to a lamppost outside of the car, there was a rumble and the road beneath the tyres split into a platform which lowered them down below the surface.

"Isn't life fun sometimes Parker?"

Kayo laughed, "this is amazing, there can't be a shop down here surely?"

Parker opened the door for Lady Penelope and Kayo, "welcome to The Vault, Miss Kyrano."

Kayo's eyes widened to saucers as she looked at the walls which were covered in weapons and jackets, "wow!"

A man approached them and smiled, "well well, why do we keep running into each other, Kyrano?"

Kayo looked around at the voice, "Rigby?"

"Welcome to The Vault."

"Since when were you head of weapons, and a shop?"

"Security and bodyguard, I always have to be prepared. What are you looking for? Not trouble I hope."

Penelope shook her head, "Kayo, in trouble? I don't think so."

"Let me show you around."

Kayo smiled as she walked down the corridor into the main room, "look at the harnesses, I know what I'm getting."

Lady Penelope studied the cameras, "oh this one is perfect, it's tiny. Captain, where can this be used?"

"Used on any clothes, on the body or attached to jewellery. International Rescue shouldn't be involved with crime, what's happened?"

"We're just taking precautions," Kayo smiled, "everything is fine."

"Glad to hear it. Did you want to try that harness on?"

Lady Penelope smirked and decided to let him down gently, "I bet Virgil would love that."

"Virgil Tracy?" Rigby frowned at the name.

Kayo nodded, "I'm sure he will love it, as much as he loves me."

"Loves you? I thought you guys were family."

"It's complicated Rigby, but yes Virgil and I are a couple," she sighed, "I'll try the blue one on please, I think that would look great on my uniform."

They finished their weapons trip and the trio got back into the car to return to the surface, Penelope looked across at Kayo who was quiet and she smiled.

"Don't worry about Rigby, he had to find out at some point."

"I know, but I could've done it at another time, I've never seen him so sad."

"I have."

"I'm glad he knows though, the flirting needed to stop. Where are we off now then?"

Penelope smirked, "I would like to go shoe shopping. Can I drag you along?"

"I suppose so," Kayo shrugged, "I could get a new pair of boots."

"Good. Stilletos, Parker."

"Yes M'Lady, I'll drop you off and meet you later."

"Thank you, Parker," Penelope smiled as the car stopped and the doors opened, "follow me, Kayo."

"Won't we be recognised?"

"Don't worry about that. I'll send you a message when we need a pickup, Parker."

"Yes, M'Lady."

Kayo walked into the shop and her eyes widened at the range of shoes, "I'm in hell."

Penelope looped her arm around hers, "let's go."

It was late when they got back to the house and Kayo went up to the guest room which had been prepared for her. Lady Penelope had gone to bed and so she called Virgil on his personal room holo protector, he answered and smiled warmly.

"Hey Kayo."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm great, but I miss you of course."

"Tomorrow."

"What have you been up to?" Virgil asked stretching out on his bed.

"I can show you."

"Strip show or something else?"

"If I could slap a hologram I would," Kayo laughed, "no, I got, this," she held up the harness and smiled, "what do you think?"

"That's rather striking."

"Isn't it just? I can't wait to put it onto my uniform," she got off the bed, "and I've bought some shoes."

Virgil chuckled, "Kayo Kyrano bought shoes."

"Yes I did, what do you think of these?" She stood back and Virgil grinned, "they're amazing right?"

Virgil eyed up the black stiletto ankle boots she was wearing, "those are gorgeous."

"Thank you. I'll wear them for the journey home."

"I look forward to that. Honey, you should get some sleep, it's late there."

"I wanted to see you first. Get here for ten, I want a lie-in."

"FAB, you're lucky I adore you."

"Mutual. Goodnight sweetheart."

Virgil smiled, "sleep well, honey. Has your opinion of shopping changed?"

"A little, maybe we could go one day?"

"I'm sure that could be arranged," Virgil thought about his dreams of meeting the woman he would one day want to marry, and that was now possibly Kayo, "it could be fun."


	17. Lives worth saving

All lives are precious, Scott always finds it hard to not argue back when a victim tells him that a criminal isn't worth saving as well as someone innocent but he knows it's partially true, he also finds it particularly pressuring when a life to save is one of someone so young he has minutes to rescue them, but he wouldn't not try for the world. After a train derailment, the team found themselves assisting a tricky evacuation, all hands were covered in blood as injuries from the fast crash differed from minor to severe and Scott was leading the team in helping victims to the assisting rescue team and paramedics, Virgil had stormed his way through corridors with the jaws of life breaking apart chairs and doors to get to as many people as possible and Kayo had followed him to take people outside, part of the train was on fire and Gordon was helping the fire crew to extinguish it. Scott stood on the emergency steps leading up the bank when a small person was handed to him.

"Sir, I know you're here to help, but we need to go back for her parents, could you hold onto her for the meantime?"

"Of course," Scott smiled and before he knew it he was holding a small girl, not even one year old, she looked up at him with big green eyes and parental impulses took over his body, he could see tears forming in her eyes and he began to bounce her gently on his hip before he moved over to sit on the wall and lowered her onto his knee to continue to bounce her, Virgil walked up the steps and smiled lovingly at his brother who was singing and laughing with the little girl who was pulling at his grapple pack, a huge grin reaching from both corners of her mouth.

"You'll make a great dad one day brother."

"I learned from the best, Virgil," Scott tapped his heel on the ground then looked up at his brother who was covered in blood stains, he frowned, "we'll talk at home."

Virgil nodded, "looks like her mum made it."

"Hattie!" A woman limped up the steps and Scott stood up holding the child carefully in his arms, "thank you so much, is she okay?"

Scott handed the child over who buried her face in her mother's neck, "a little shaken up, but she'll be fine."

"Thank you again," the woman cooed to her child then was led over to an ambulance.

Kayo sighed as she untied her hair, "we lost three, Scott."

"Their ages?"

"Young man, an old woman and a middle aged man. The police are handling the situation now."

"Is there anymore we can do?"

Kayo shook her head, "the fires are out, all compartments are checked and cleared and the evacuation is nearly complete. The railway will remain closed until they can move this train."

"Right, let's wrap it up and go home," he opened a channel to the pod, "return to Thunderbird 2 Gordon, we're going home."

"FAB," Gordon's voice was tired and slightly croaky.

Scott arrived on the island first and after kissing Grandma's cheek he walked up to the piano, it was Virgil's main outlet but sometimes the eldest could only find comfort in the keys under his fingers, he could press down gently or hard without hurting the instrument and right now all he wanted to do was to lose himself in music or ideally become the piano itself. Closing his eyes, he ignored the sounds around him and thought of his mother playing the piano with him when he was a child, he would sit in her lap and just watch her fingers dance across the white and black blocks, he jumped slightly as he heard a body slump into one of the chairs next to the piano and he looked over.

"Virgil?"

"That was horrible."

"My playing? That's not very nice."

Virgil smiled slightly, "that wasn't great either, but I meant the rescue."

Scott nodded relieved to see his brother now clean again and not covered in blood, "I hope none of that blood was yours?"

Virgil stretched his legs out in front of him, "no, but some of it was Kayo's."

Scott's eyes widened, "what do you mean?"

"Scott, she's having a shower and I've told her to get some rest, she's alright, it's just a cut on her wrist, I had to apply pressure to stop the bleeding."

Scott sighed and hid his face in his hands before sighing, "that was so tough, but at least that little girl gets to go home tonight."

"I stand by what I said, you would make a great father, you already do in a way."

"Sorry?"

"You've almost been like a father to us after he disappeared, Scott, and you've done an amazing job at it."

"Kayo got hurt today, Gordon almost died a couple of months ago. I'm not like dad, he wouldn't have let any of that happen, ever."

Virgil smiled sympathetically, "none of what happened was your fault, remember our rescues before the Chaos Crew came along? They're the ones who have ruined our lives."

Scott looked back down at the piano keys, "hmm. I guess so."

Virgil leaned forward, "so don't make yourself feel like this, think about the lives you save, big and small."

"Like that child and her mother."

"Exactly," Virgil stood up, "I'm going to check on Kayo, will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine Virgil, thanks," Scott smiled at him as he left the lounge via the back entrance then began to play again with more enthusiasm, unseen by anyone, the Mechanic watched from the entrance to the lounge and couldn't help smiling.


	18. Hide and seek

"Ready or not, here I come!" Scott yelled, not sure who he was yelling to as his brothers had scarpered, his father remained sat at his desk writing but smirked when his eldest son, who was only twelve, turned around.

"Better get going son."

Scott nodded, "I'll check all the obvious spots first."

"They know the rules."

Scott ran from the lounge and down the steps to the kitchen, he opened all the cupboards then heard a short giggle, "hmm, I guess there's no-one in here. Shame. I feel lonely." Gordon bit his lip as he spotted Scott's shoes go past his hiding spot, the eldest walked round the back of the marble island then grabbed his fourth youngest brother around his middle from where he was hiding under the table, "gotcha!"

"No!" Gordon yelped, "I had a great hiding space," he squirmed as Scott tickled him.

"But not good enough."

"I know where the others are hiding! I'll tell you."

"Gordon, I'm the seeker, don't spoil the game," Scott pressed a finger to his lips, "follow me."

Gordon laughed and copied Scott's tiptoeing along the corridor to the study, they poked their heads around the door and Scott spotted Virgil's heel poking out from under the desk, "there's no-one here Scott, I know where Kayo is, come on!"

Scott smirked, "wait a moment Gordon, I'm not done in here."

"Huh?"

Scott saw Virgil's heel twitch and decided to play for time, "nah, you're probably right. I give up on this room, I think I'll take the piano apart and look in there," he waited for a gasp and Gordon grinned.

"Virgie!"

"Don't touch my piano, Scott," Virgil crawled out from under the desk and into Scott's arms.

"Whoa, it was only to get you out of there," he laughed, "that's two to me."

"Nawh," Virgil sighed and his fringe fell over his eyes.

"You should get that cut bro," Scott stroked the black tuft back off his forehead with a smile, "come on, I have three other siblings to find."

Virgil followed, "I'll be in the lounge, is dad there?"

Scott nodded, "yep. Gordon, are you coming with me or going with Virgil?"

"Virgil," Gordon smiled gripping Virgil's hand in his, he had recently become very attached to the second eldest.

"Fine by me, I'll round up the others," Scott walked into the corridor with the the younger two and straight into John who was in tears, "John?"

John sobbed, "you didn't find me and I was scared you'd never come!"

Scott wrapped his arms around him, the boy was nine but had been deeply affected by their mother's death, and ever since, he hated the feeling of not seeing any of his family, "you can help me find Alan and Kayo," he stroked John's hair gently and smiled as the sobbing settled into sniffs, they walked off leaving Virgil to go to the lounge with Gordon, Jeff looked up at their entrance and laughed.

"Found already?"

Virgil sat down on the piano stool with a huff, "yep. I think Scott was cheating."

"He wasn't Virgil, he wouldn't do that," Gordon objected making Jeff chuckle, "maybe you're just bad at hiding."

"Don't be mean Gordon, no doubt you were found first by giving your position away?" Jeff noticed Virgil bristle.

Gordon shook his head, "nah ah."

The game was over pretty fast but there was one problem, Alan hadn't been found, Scott paced the lounge as Jeff did a scan of the island looking for heat signals.

"He wouldn't have gone into the jungle dad, he's only four but he knows the rules," Scott leant on the desk.

Jeff frowned, "someone should've hidden with him. Did any of you see where he went?"

Kayo nodded from where she was sitting beside Virgil, "he ran past me when I hid by the pool."

"That's going towards the beach!" Scott jumped up from the sofa, "I'm on my way."

Jeff grabbed Gordon by the shoulder, "wait here. Virgil, Kayo go with him, I want to keep an eye on the rest of you."

Alan clung onto a tree branch tearfully, climbing up had been easy but now there was only one way down, falling into the water below, "daddy!" He cried, tears had already streamed down his face so new ones simply skimmed the surface of his cheeks, "help me!"

Scott ran down the beach path followed by Virgil and Kayo and he skidded to a halt on the beach hearing a voice, "wait, listen."

"Help!"

"That way Scott," Virgil pointed to the edge of the cliff and Scott feared the worst.

"He can't have," Scott whispered and took off at a flat sprint up to the palm trees, he looked up and spotted Alan clinging onto a branch, it wasn't a high cliff but one false fall could lead onto the rocks instead of the sea below, "it's okay Ali, don't move."

"Scotty, help!"

Virgil's heart broke, "we have to get onto that tree."

"No, we could cause it to shake. What would dad do?"

Virgil turned his watch to his face, "dad?"

"Have you found Alan son?"

Virgil nodded, "we need help, he's stuck in a tree."

Jeff grimaced and Grandma walked into the lounge, "mother, good. Look after John and Gordon for me, Alan is in trouble."

"Of course son, come on you two, you can help me make dinner."

Jeff smiled then ran down to the hangar under the house where the family jet and cars were kept kept, he grabbed a rescue kit containing ropes, harnesses and a trauma kit, then ran out of the side door down to the beach, he spotted the three ahead and soon reached their side, "Scott, you're the most agile, get up there with this."

Scott nodded as he took the harness from his father, "don't let me fall."

"Never son. Kayo, Virgil, guide Scott and me in."

"You've got it Dad," Virgil ran under the tree near the edge of the cliff looking up at Alan, "look at me Ali, eyes on me," he caught a tear on his hand, "don't cry sprout."

"Virg, I'm slipping."

Scott clambered up effortlessly and sat up on the branch, "okay, I'm ready!"

"Steady son, make your way across slowly, arms ahead."

"Yes sir," Scott narrowed his eyes and shuffled across the log edging closer and closer to his terrified little brother, "shh Ali, I'm nearly there, don't look back, keep your eyes on Virgil."

"More to your right Scott, your leg is dangling," Kayo called up as she watched him closely.

"Thanks Kayo. Okay, I can reach him, lean back into me Alan, I've got you," Scott bundled Alan into his lap and wrapped his arms around him pressing a kiss into his hair.

Jeff nodded as he checked the harness was secure, "let go of the tree Scott, we'll lower you down."

Alan closed his eyes and clung onto Scott's t-shirt hiding his tears in the fabric, "go."

Scott pressed his cheek against Alan's hair as he was lowered slowly to the ground, he sat down on the cliff top and wrapped his arms around the blonde child who succumbed to weeping, "shh, shh, I've got you," he rocked him gently in his lap and sighed.

Jeff unclipped Scott's harness and smiled, "well done son."

Scott stood up with Alan in his arms and passed him to Jeff who clung tightly to him, "he's going to be alright, isn't he?"

Jeff stroked Alan's hair tenderly, "he'll be fine Scott, let's get back to the house. Shh baby boy."

Kayo held Virgil's hand innocently, "maybe we should stop playing hide and seek?"

Scott nodded as they followed Jeff back to the house, "maybe."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"It's funny isn't it?" Kayo pondered as she played the piano with Virgil.

"What is?"

"Even before your father set up the business, he knew what to do in an emergency, in fact we all did."

"Which event are you thinking back to? We've got a history log of accidents on this island," Virgil looked down at his hands as he ran a glissando up the keys.

"I was just thinking back to the day we stopped playing hide and seek, or at least we moved it indoors."

"Ah, Alan's little tree adventure, the things you do when you're four," he smirked.

"You laugh now, but at the time it wasn't funny."

"No I know, it felt like the first mission when one of us was in real danger, we didn't know how our lives would change after that. What's brought that up?"

Kayo shrugged as she lifted her hand over Virgil's to play in the lower octaves, smiling as the cuff of his shirt brushed her arm, "the mission Scott and I went on recently, we were balancing on a log, and I fell."

Virgil's fingers stalled, "you fell?"

"Scott saved me, we were fine. It just made me think about what could've happened if Alan had fallen that day, I can't bear to imagine," she closed her eyes as she trailed off and brought her hands off the keys to her legs, she sighed and felt Virgil's hands on hers, warm and comforting.

"Dad knew what to do that day."

"That's right," Scott walked up the steps, "sorry, I overheard what you just said, we were young and stuck on an island, of course we would get into trouble, but we're a family that look out of each other."

Virgil nodded as he resumed playing smiling when Kayo placed her hand on his leg, "that was a great game though."

"Do you know how I found you Virgil?" Scott smirked hopping up onto his father's desk.

"I distinctly remember you saying you would dismantle this piano to come and find me," Virgil glared at him ignoring Kayo's chuckle.

"Yes I did say that, but also it was your heel sticking out from under the desk in the study, you've always had big feet."

Kayo laughed looking down at her boyfriend's feet on the pedals hidden in a pair of black combat boots, "they're cute to me."

Virgil smirked, "I would've thought my hair would have given me away."

"You didn't spike it up back then."

"True," Virgil ran his fingers carefully through the gelled spike and Kayo snorted, "what?"

"So you touch it but I'm not allowed?"

"You might mess it up."

"Nonsense, don't you remember the styles I used to try on you? They were awesome."

Virgil tutted as he played, "you can touch the back of it, but not the spike."

Alan walked into the lounge covered in mud and leaves, "hey guys."

Scott smiled, "hey," then he did a double take, "what the hell?"

"Crashed my bike, this time into a tree in the woods."

Scott face palmed before replying, "are you injured?"

"Nope."

"Then go and have a shower before you give Grandma a heart attack."

Kayo laughed as he walked off, "some things never change, apart from Scott going grayer," she tipped her head against Virgil's shoulder giggling and Scott frowned at her.

"When Dad gets home, I'm giving him my greys and dyeing my hair," Scott sulked watching them play.

Virgil laughed, "luckily for some of us, our hair is naturally coloured dark."


	19. Scrabble

Gordon smirked as he brought a box over to the dining room table and Kayo raised an eyebrow, "nope before you say it, it's not that."

"Good, because the last time we played monopoly, Scott threw the hat piece into the pool."

Scott frowned, "Gordon was cheating and I had enough of being put in jail."

Virgil smiled, "what game of torture is this then?"

"Good old fashioned scrabble."

"I thought you were about to say snakes and ladders," Alan looked round at him from gazing out at the torrential rain, it didn't rain much on the island but when it did you got soaked after five seconds of being in it.

"We'll have to pair up," Gordon took out the four-word arrangers.

"Someone will have to be on their own Gordon, do the maths and take out three," Scott smirked, "I'll go solo."

Virgil looked at Kayo, "us against the terrible two?"

"FAB."

Alan grinned, "our words are going to be awesome!"

Scott picked out eight random letters, "no rude words, Gordon."

Gordon gasped, "never! We have a lady present."

Kayo kicked him hard under the table and smirked when he winced, "it's only what you deserve."

"Who wants to go first?" Virgil asked as he looked down at his letters quizzically.

"I'll put one down and then make us some drinks," Scott smiled putting down the word SOLO, "4 points."

"Not a great choice of letters there Scott?" Kayo asked as he stood up.

"They could've been better. Coffee anyone?"

Alan shook his head, "chocolate for me please."

"Mango smoothie please, it's in the fridge," Gordon replied pointing out a word to Alan.

Kayo smiled at Scott, "we'll have a coffee."

Scott nodded, "FAB. Don't look at my letters whilst I'm occupied."

Alan grinned, "put it down, Gordon."

"Will do," Gordon put down the word TONGUE, "13 points."

"Ohh nice," Virgil smirked, "that's put some pressure on us. Kayo, anything?"

"I'll think."

Scott returned with the drinks for his younger siblings, "just resting the coffee. Tongue. Really, guys?"

"Yeah, we're not cheating, honest."

"Okay, how about..." Kayo placed the letters down, "JEWEL. 19, Ha!"

"That's high scoring, nice one sweetheart," Virgil grinned at her.

Kayo high fived him, "always make sure to use the J," she looked out at the flooded patio, "I hate this rain."

Scott went back to finish the coffees, "I know, it should be going over soon, John is keeping an eye on it," he brought the three hot drinks over and sat back up on the stool swaying his feet to and fro as he pondered his next word, "that J is in the way. Uh, ok," he put down the word WOOL, "that counts right?"

Gordon shrugged, "as far as I know, that's a word. Oh, that makes it 21 adding to the jewel."

"My turn to put down a word," Alan grinned, "JOKE."

Gordon cheered as he did the maths, "yes! This puts us ahead with a triple! 55!"

Virgil grimaced, "I'm going to check your letters in a minute," he watched Gordon pick up four new letters.

"We're not cheating Virgil, man, what do you take us for?"

"Cheaters usually," Scott chuckled as he raised his coffee to his lips watching Virgil and Kayo brainstorm on a word choice.

"CIRCLE. That gives us 39 with double letter score and triple word," Virgil grinned, "Scott?"

Scott grimaced, "dammit. These are awful letters."

Virgil hopped off the stool and plugged his phone into their sound system, "to drown out the rain."

"Okay, I think I have a word," Scott placed the letters down doing the maths in his head, "LATEX, as in the material. 26 points."

"Good use of X," Kayo smiled, "Virg, which playlist is this?"

"My birthday one."

Suddenly lightning lit up the kitchen and Alan buried his head in his arms shaking with fear, Scott moved around the table and wrapped his arms around him as thunder rumbled through the room.

"It's alright," Scott hugged him tightly and Gordon smiled sympathetically, Alan's fear of storms originated from childhood after his mother died.

"Thanks, Scott," Alan whimpered and pressed his cheek against the soft fabric of his shirt.

"John, how is it looking?" Virgil activated the holo-image projector on the table.

"It doesn't look good you guys, but it's passing over quickly, are you okay?" John's gaze settled on Alan wrapped in Scott's arms.

"We'll be fine John, everything is shut upstairs and down here," Scott smiled then hushed Alan as another rumble of thunder shook the room.

"The Den?" Virgil suggested and Scott nodded, "come on guys, we'll finish the game after the storm passes."

John hung up and turned back to the globe, "that's some storm. No callouts, please," he said to himself.

The Den in actuality was just a study with no windows and full of cushions, it went by many names but all of them had settled on 'den' rather than the snug, Alan snuggled up in the corner and Scott sat down beside him, Gordon lounged lazily against a long cushion wrapped around his shoulders and Virgil got cosy between the throws holding his guitar, Kayo leaned against him looking across to Alan who was still trembling.

"It'll be over soon Alan," Scott soothed, "it's just a storm."

Virgil smiled as he played, "storms can't hurt you."

"They hurt mum," Alan whispered painfully and Scott pulled him close.

"Yes I know, but it won't happen to you, I won't let it."

Kayo rested her head against Virgil's, she hadn't been living with the Tracys when their mum died but she knew of the story and following heartbreak they went through every day ever since, "storms don't linger."

Alan looked up and nodded, "thanks, Kayo."

Scott gestured to Virgil for the guitar, "remember that song about raindrops?"

"From the 70s? That was such a long time ago, ancient," Virgil smirked, "of course you'd remember it, Scott."

Gordon buckled over laughing at Scott's frown, "he's got you there!"

Alan smirked, "good one."

"Ha-ha," Scott rolled his eyes, "but yes that one, it might cheer us up," he sat up and rested the guitar against his raised knee, _"Raindrops keep falling on my head, and that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red, cos crying's not for me,_" he nudged Alan gently, _"and I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining, 'cause I'm free, there's no worrying me."_

Virgil crossed his arms, "you skipped to the last verse."

"It's the only verse which mentions rain," Scott shrugged continuing to play the outro, "okay fine, a fun one."

Kayo sent a message to John as Scott began to play 'American Pie', _'is it still raining outside, we're in the den?'_

John's reply was instant, _'afraid so, and the thunder is worse. Is Alan okay?'_

_'Scott is distracting him with songs.'_

'_Good. Will message again when it's calmed down outside.'_

_'FAB.'_ Kayo turned to Virgil with a smile and he kissed her forehead before stretching his legs out in front of himself watching Scott strumming the soundhole fast and rhythmically.

By the time the song was reaching the end, Kayo had received a message from John saying the lightning had passed over but she didn't want to interrupt the final verses, they were having too much fun singing and Alan had cheered up immensely as he rocked side to side beside Scott laughing, the final chords were stroked down the strings and she cleared her throat.

"Hey guys, John says the storm has passed."

Scott put the guitar down and got to his feet, "I'll check," he walked up the steps from the den leading up to the first floor, the sky was still grey but it was quiet, "he's right."

Alan ran up the steps, "let's carry on with scrabble, I only hope Max hasn't messed with the board."

Virgil laughed as he left the den with Kayo, "Max wouldn't do that."

"He painted me with a moustache, Virgil, that robot is as bad as Gordon."

Gordon gasped, "how very dare you, comparing me to a robot, I have feelings."

Scott shrugged as he led the way back to the kitchen, "so does Max."

The scrabble board was undisturbed and Kayo did the maths as Virgil went to make a bowl of popcorn for them all.

"Believe it or not, Scott has managed to get himself into the lead with 56, Virgil and I are in third place with 39 and Gordon, you and Alan are second with 55. The first one to 65?"

"Scott is halfway there," Alan complained.

"Hey, it could all go wrong for me here," Scott shrugged as he picked up some letters.

"First to 65 sounds good, we've got some storm clearing up to do," Virgil looked out to the patio where chairs had blown over.

"FAB, 65, whose turn is it?" Scott asked.

"It's ours," Alan grinned, "okay, let's do this word," he put down the letters, "MORE. Damn that's only 6, but it puts us ahead of you two."

Kayo smiled, "hit them where it hurts Virgil."

"With pleasure," Virgil put the bowl down and spelt out the word gleefully, "EGRETS, plus triple letter score, that gives us 72!"

Scott smiled with a face full of popcorn, "leads me into, this: ZAPS. 34 points and I win overall with 90!"

Gordon threw his pen down, "can't beat that. Z is a ten, and on double letter."

Kayo shook her head, "good game though, you're so competitive, Scott."

Scott smirked, "I usually lose actually."

"Storm clear up then," Alan sulked, "shotgun, not pool cleaning!"

"Shotgun!" Gordon yelped.

"Ditto!" Kayo grinned.

"Shot-" Virgil started.

"Gun-" Scott finished, "crud."

"You do use it the most, launching," Gordon got up from the table as Virgil tidied the scrabble game away.

Scott followed him outside, "true. Be careful out here guys, it's slippery," he watched as Gordon lost his footing and grabbed onto the table, "told you."


	20. Rock pooling

Gordon was determined to share his love of rock pooling with someone. Scott was too busy stressing constantly about the Zero-XL to find time for hobbies minus his music therapy, Kayo didn't trust him when in the water not to splash her, Alan was busy with his final studies for school and John was in space, so that only left Virgil and he would force him down to the pools by any means necessary, which in the end was just an invitation one sunny afternoon.

"Gordon, slow down, these rocks are slippery."

"I told you to wear water shoes, not flip flops."

"They're waterproof, what's the difference?" Virgil shrugged as he caught up with his co-pilot, "you're lucky I said yes to this, I've been writing a composition for dad."

"None of you appreciate our rock pools. Come on, you're going to love what I've found, this way," he led the way around the back caves and darted across a tiny stretch of sand between the rocks and waves, "time yourself."

Virgil ran across the wet sand before the sea closed off the path, "okay, where is this pool?"

Gordon grinned as he knelt beside a pool then stripped down to his swimming trunks, "awesome."

"Gordon, what are you doing?"

"You can't see it unless you join me. Are you wearing your trunks?"

"These shorts are trunks, so yeah."

"Good, get in," Gordon dived down into the water.

"Gordon!" Virgil unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it onto the rocks before jumping in, the water was crystal clear and he almost collided with the aquanaut who was swimming back up, he emerged coughing and hit him over the head, "what did you dive down for!?"

"To see the oyster."

"The what?" Virgil trod water being careful not to put his feet down on any urchins.

"First of all, control your breathing or you won't be able to stay down there long enough. You'll love this, I promise."

"If I'd known we were diving I would've brought a tank."

Gordon raised an eyebrow, "remember dad's training? Concentrate and we can be down there for a minute."

"FAB."

"Okay, ready?"

Virgil nodded, "just don't scare me again."

"FAB. Let's go," he took a deep breath and dived down followed by Virgil, the second eldest wasn't much of a water baby but Jeff had made sure that all of his sons and Kayo knew how to hold their breath for long periods of time under water for emergencies and extreme scenarios. They swam down to the bottom of the pool together and Gordon pointed to the oyster shell which was open displaying a bright pearl, Virgil's eyes widened in awe and Gordon smiled before looking back at the pearl, they signalled each other to go up and they sat up on the edge breathing deeply and dripping.

"Wow Gordon."

"What did I tell ya? Beautiful isn't it."

"I never even knew those were real."

"Oysters or the pearls?"

"The pearls, we could sell it."

"Don't lay a finger on it. I wait for the animals to die naturally then collect the jewel or find one that hasn't opened yet, that one is very much alive and very young, let it enjoy its creation. It would be like ripping a gold tooth from someone's mouth," Gordon replied sternly.

Virgil looked down with guilt, "yes, I suppose so. Sorry."

"You're impressed though?"

"More than impressed, it's amazing down there."

"Okay, I wasn't sure about this at first, but would you like to meet my little friend?"

"It better not be a crab."

"No, it's better. Come on," he dived down again and a small eel swam up to meet him much to Virgil's horror, Gordon gestured that it wasn't a threat or electric then smiled as it looped over his hand, if Virgil could breath out in relief he would have done, but instead he patted Gordon's shoulder and let the eel swim across his arm, they swam up to the surface again and Virgil flopped his black hair back out of his face.

"An eel, Gordon?"

"Yeah."

"What have you called it?"

"His name is Matty."

"Matty?"

"Short for Matthieu."

Virgil laughed, "you're mad, you know that right? Mad."

"Madness is great," Gordon elbowed him, "want to go down again or are you good?"

"I'm good, but thank you Gordo, I'm so land based I forget how amazing our island is sometimes. Is this pool always here?"

"Only when the tide is out, when it's in this is covered, but Matty never forgets where he lives."

"Thanks."

"Anytime, I really wanted someone else to enjoy these with me, Lady Penelope would but she's on the other side of the world."

"Is that who the pearl is for?"

Gordon smiled, "I've already got one ready for her."

"Not an engagement ring I hope? The one thing Dad doesn't need to come back home to is you saying you're planning to get married."

Gordon chuckled, "no, not yet anyway. I'm going to box it with a card for her birthday, it's December soon, although you wouldn't know that being here."

"That's sweet. You don't have any spare pearls do you?"

"Why do you ask?" Gordon stood up and pulled his shirt on around his shoulders.

"Well, it's just, I would love to give one to Kayo."

Gordon smiled, "word of advice, if you find a big oyster you're more likely to find a pearl inside, but it's all luck. If you go down there now, don't assume you'll get a jewel."

"Okay. Wait for me, for safety."

"FAB. Have fun," Gordon watched his brother dive under and began to time him, he hopped up onto the rock and decided to squeeze in some sunbathing in the late afternoon sunshine.

Virgil reached the bottom of the pool and let out a little air to keep himself down and gathered a bundle of oysters which weren't open, maybe Gordon would kill him maybe not, but now he was the one determined to discover a perfect gift, he emerged out of breath and pushed the collection onto the side of the pool before heaving himself out of the water, "think that'll be enough?"

Gordon opened his eyes then frowned, "you have a dark side, Virgil Tracy, I didn't think that was possible. I won't be helping you open those."

"Fine," he pulled his shirt on ignoring the wet marks immediately appearing across his back and chest then slipped his flip flops back on, "maybe I'll give one to Scott too, they might cheer him up."

Gordon laughed as they walked back to the house, "oh, you're planning on finding more than one pearl now?"

"You never know?"

"Good luck then."

Scott was waiting for them in the lounge and frowned as they walked in dripping and feet squelching on the floor, "where have you been?"

"Scott, you need to chill out. Seriously, you're going to have a meltdown if you're not careful," Gordon smirked, "I finally convinced one of you to go to the rock pools with me and it worked."

"Virgil?" Scott raised an eyebrow.

Virgil nodded, "I loved it."

"I was determined and it paid off, we found an oyster shell with a pearl and now Virgil is obsessed," Gordon smirked as Scott slumped into Jeff's chair, "don't look so defeated, it could've been you if you weren't so stubborn at the moment."

"I'm too busy," Scott didn't look up, "you should change before Grandma sees you."

Kayo walked in, "ah there you are Virgil."

Gordon grinned and shook his wet hair all over her, "now that's a successful day."

"Urgh, you little brat!" Kayo shouted and pushed him onto the sofa where he immediately began giggling.

"Virgil, what are those in your hands?" Kayo asked stepping forward.

"Oysters."

"I hope we're not planning on eating them, I hate seafood."

"No, I'm planning something else with them, and with any luck my plan will be a success."

Kayo shrugged, "intriguing."

Gordon sat up beaming with delight, "the world is my oyster."

Virgil groaned, "and of course you go back to being annoying. I'll be in the workshop if anyone needs me, urgently," he winked at Kayo as she sat up on the desk.

"What's he up to Gordon?"

"Let's just say, a little determination goes a long way."

"Maybe even to getting Dad back before Christmas," Scott sighed then smiled as Kayo held his hands in hers, he looked up at her, "thanks."


	21. Broken grand

They've found many strange items and antiques on rescue missions, people come first of course, but if there's time after a successful mission on more occasion they've gone exploring and taken home recovered relics. There is one that has always stood out for Virgil when he, Gordon, Kayo and Scott had completed extinguishing a house fire in France, they were making their way back to their ships when the second eldest spotted a derelict chateau, his siblings followed him reluctantly as he ran ahead and almost lost him inside.

"Virg, quit messing, we've got to go home!" Scott called as Kayo sighed, "why does he do this?"

"He's a sucker for art," Kayo grinned looking up at the grand staircase.

Scott frowned as he heard music coming from the ballroom, "what the?"

Gordon stood up from the steps, "he hasn't?"

Scott stepped over the rubble in the doorway into the hall and looked over at Virgil who was sitting at a broken grand piano, one of its legs was balancing on concrete slabs and from noticing the discarded jaws of life, Scott concluded that his brother may have propped the piano up himself, "Virg?" He started but Kayo clamped her hand over his mouth.

Gordon smirked at them and walked over to the piano, "so what's this then?" He went to lean on the piano when Virgil's eyes shot open.

"Don't Gordon, it's not stable!"

"How did you know I was there, your eyes were closed?"

"I can sense your stupidity," Virgil smirked as he played.

"That sounds horrendous Virgil," Scott chewed his lip walking over to the piano, "my ears are bleeding."

"Can you believe someone left this in this state," Virgil sighed as he looked down at the cracked ivory in front of him.

Kayo winced at the twang of notes, "umm, well it's certainly tuneful."

"Alright, I agree, the sound is awful, but this piano is gorgeous, look at it."

Kayo's eyes drifted along the frame and nodded, elements of faded brown caught the sunlight and she spotted twirls of gold lettering on the front panel above his hands, "I'm surprised no-one has tried to rip that gold off."

Virgil shifted his baldric up slightly as the harness moved up and down on his leg, "this isn't worth anything anymore," he said sadly and Scott tapped his fingers on the frame impatiently.

"Virg, you have a working piano at home, why are you so interested in this one?"

Virgil didn't answer and simply continued to play, the sound of the piano was excruciating but the more they listened the more they began to ignore the creaks and thuds to focus on the hidden melody, the old pedal squeaked loudly under Virgil's boot and Gordon watched the hammers lift up and down irregularly noticing some were broken or hanging limply from worn-out strings, and yet somehow his brother was making a tune out of what was left, Kayo watched his fingers skip over broken blocks and dust particles fall slowly to the floor as vibrations disturbed the stillness the piano was used to, Scott walked over to join Gordon and placed his hands on his shoulders keeping his eyes on Virgil smiling slightly.

"Does anyone else want to play it?" Virgil looked up at them with a smirk, "you've all gone quiet suddenly."

Scott smiled, "how do you turn something so bad into something good?"

Virgil crossed his arms, "it's what I do," he replied smugly and Kayo moved round to hug him resting her chin on his head.

Gordon nodded, "yeah that's great but can we go now?"

"I suppose so," Virgil sighed stroking his hand over the keys, "if it wasn't stealing I would load it into the module."

"Why would it be stealing? This place has been abandoned."

"I can't just take a piano out of a building."

"Says who?"

"I do," a woman's voice came from the door, her accent was heavy but she spoke to them in English, "International Rescue?"

Virgil shot up from the stool, "we didn't mean to come in here, we're sorry."

The woman smiled, "I haven't 'eard this piano in years, this used to be uh magnifique."

Scott stood back with Virgil, "we didn't mean to trespass, our brother is a musician and we couldn't stop him."

"Un musicien? Ah, I wish I had the time to repair this piano, but no-one, how do you say it, uh cares, for this house anymore."

"Madame, I can repair this piano for you but I would need to take it away first," Virgil scuffed his toe on the dusty floor.

"Ah, I was wondering when one of you would ask politely. Tres bon, that is all I wanted to hear," she smiled as she held her hand out to Virgil, "take it et care for it."

"Merci beaucoup," Virgil grinned, "are you sure?"

"Je vous en prie," she shook his hand then walked out.

"What just happened?" Gordon raised an eyebrow.

"I just got a new piano," he sat down on the stool and took out a control device to launch Thunderbird 2, "now to get it into the module, I'm going to need your help guys."

Gordon groaned, "ohhh I really do hate you sometimes."

"Feeling is mutual fish boy," Virgil rolled his eyes as he heard his ship land outside, "it can only be pushed on two wheels so I need two of you on the broken side," he stood up and slipped the jaws of life back on, "close the lid Scott, if it does close."

"I hope you know what you're doing?"

"I have a rough idea. Now let's move this thing."

With language of many colours and groans, they got the broken piano into the module and secured it tightly against the wall, Virgil stood back with a smile and Scott shook his head.

"Where will it live?"

"I think in my studio, so that's where we need to drop it off, I can't work on it then move it again."

"See you at home then," Scott left the module and went back to Thunderbird 1.

"I can't wait to hear you play this properly," Kayo smiled at the dusty instrument.

Virgil kissed her forehead, "I'll have a piece ready just for you."

Gordon tapped the door to the cockpit impatiently, "oi, some of us would like to get home, today if possible."

Virgil glared at him, "fine, we're coming."

The piano was dropped off gently into the roundhouse and once the birds had landed and put on auto clean, Virgil made his way up to his studio with various tools, the first thing to do was to clean off the dust and see what really needed doing; the sustain pedal was too bouncy as well as squeaky so that was one thing which needed fixing, the keys themselves needed fixing and replacing, the hinges on the lid needed tightening and hammers needed tuning with new strings, well thank goodness he had spare piano strings but this still meant a shopping trip both online and in person, it would take ages. A few weeks passed by and he had been interrupted multiple times by rescues, but it was finally the day to try out the new furnished piano properly, he had purchased a new stool and the instrument itself shone with polish in the sunlight, he sat down and opened the fallboard displaying a whole 88 range block of white and black keys, the new lid was wide open and strings were pulled taught attached to new hammers which danced up and down rapidly, happy to be reconnected, he ran his fingers up and down with a smile and heard a knock at the door.

"Come in?"

Kayo walked in and shut the glass door behind her, "wow Virgil."

"You wouldn't believe it was mahogany at first would you?"

Kayo ran her hands over the smooth surface, "it's gorgeous."

"Would you like to hear that piece I promised you?"

"I'd love to," she looked for a chair to sit down on and Virgil moved across the stool, "what is the piece called?" she asked as she sat beside him pressing a kiss into his shirt.

"I'll tell you at the end, I think you'll like it," he smiled warmly at her then looked down at the keys moving his right hand to the top octaves, he stretched his little finger to a 9th and smirked seeing Kayo's eyebrows raise in his peripheral vision, then brought his hand back to the middle of the piano in a complicated turn crossing his left hand over, the pedal no longer squeaked and moved up and down gently with the tiniest thud matching the quietness of the piece and Kayo watched the hammers in the reflection of the lid dance individually then as a group under the constant dampener, she smiled lovingly and moved closer to his hip knee to knee as he closed his eyes with a sigh, his body moved beside hers and the piece was beautifully romantic. As opposed to him losing himself, she felt home and noticed he had repainted the golden leaf design onto the front panel and on the far right he had painted her name, so tiny but so intricate she was amazed to have even spotted it, golden loops spelt out 'to Kayo' and with a small squeak she wrapped an arm around his back and he opened his eyes forcing down the final chords with intense passion, he brought his feet back from the pedals and his hands wound themselves around her.

"Well, what do you think?"

"You've named the piano after me?" Kayo smiled almost tearfully.

"You mean so much to me, Kayo."

Kayo gazed up at him, "as do you to me. What have you called the piece?"

Virgil grinned, "Ton Ombre."

"What does that mean?"

"'Your Shadow', this is your piece."

"Is it really?"

Virgil nodded, "of course it is."

"Thank you so much sweet pea, and you've done such a great job restoring this, it's truly spectacular," she ran her fingers across the shiny wooden blocks, thankful they were no longer ivory, "can I try it?"

"Sure," Virgil stood up to give her the full stool and moved round to stand beside the instrument, "the hammers were the hardest to fix," he smiled as he watched them move.

"Really? I would've thought the pedals would've been harder."

Virgil shook his head, "they either need tightening or just screwing in, how does it feel to you?"

"Does it make a difference to the player?"

"Sometimes, I'm much heavier than you so I've loosened the sustain slightly so I don't have to force it down."

"It feels fine to me," she released it with a smile, "this is amazing work, it's so smooth to play."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"You should show Scott," Kayo stopped playing and stood up to admire the instrument, "I'll call him," she turned her wrist controller to her and opened a call with the eldest, "hey Scott? It's done."

"About time too, I'm on my way."

Virgil smiled, "I had no idea he would be so interested?"

Kayo shrugged, "he still can't believe you were given a piano to take home after a rescue so he wants to make sure that almost breaking his back moving it was worth it."

"You're such a tease."

"But I'm not teasing, that's what he really said," Kayo laughed as Virgil's face fell, "awh don't look so down, he couldn't be happier you've put together a piano by yourself that works."

Scott opened the door and grinned as he got his breath back, "wow Virgil, it looks amazing," he walked over, "it's mahogany?"

"Yeah, I was stunned when I cleaned the dust off, this would cost thousands if I were to sell it."

"And would you?"

"Absolutely not, it's taken me weeks to fix this."

Scott chuckled as he sat down on the stool running his hands across the new blocks, "no ivory then?"

"No, it doesn't need to be ivory, sure it's more poetic but it's a cruel process."

Scott nodded, "okay, let's give this a go, it sounded awful in that house," he began to play Chopin's _Waltz No.2_ and smiled at the fluid pedal now quiet against the floor, "score 1, the squeak has gone," he moved with the music and Kayo leaned against the ledge watching him.

"If you ever take the mick out of Virgil being a pianist, I'll make you play this in front of everyone."

Scott smiled up at her as he ran a perfect chromatic up into the top octaves to finish the first section after each cluster was played and perfectly pedalled, "hmm, nice one Virgil."

"Since when have you become such a good pianist?" Virgil frowned as his brother tried out different styles of pedalling with the piece.

"Listening to you and practising when you're not around. You got Kayo by being able to wow her so maybe I can get someone doing the same thing."

Kayo hit him and he laughed, "you know that's not the reason I fell for your brother."

"It's a contributing factor though, right?" Virgil smirked winking at Scott.

"Maybe," Kayo tucked a strand of hair back over her ear.

Scott brought the piece to an end and sat back on the stool rubbing his hands down his jeans, "I'm impressed, Mum would be so proud of you if she knew you could build pianos."

"Simple engineering, if I can fix Thunderbird 2 I can easily fix a piano."


	22. Snake bite

John wandered round to the back of their ranch house in search of shade and a spot to look out into the desert, his siblings were inside doing ground training giving him time to prepare for the aerobatics course, he walked round to the rocks and began to climb up when his hand grabbed onto something soft and almost rubbery, there was a loud hiss and he found himself face to face with a Death Adder, they were common in that part of the country and he knew he wouldn't become the snake's dinner, but now he was stuck, one false move could mean death by paralysis. They had antivenom back in the house, but out here he was alone, he couldn't move and didn't even want to blink, any fast movement and he would fall from the rock face taking the snake with him or worse aggravating it to attack him. Stuck mid-climb up the rock face, one hand on the ledge the other trapped under the snake's body and feet planted into foot holes, he stared at the dusty coloured reptile staring back at him, its tongue darting in and out and coiling its body into the ledge.

"What have I got myself into?"

Scott laughed as he helped Alan down from the rope course, "you need to go faster Alan, you'll get it eventually."

"I hate this course," he watched as Kayo swung through the ropes effortlessly and landed in a crouch, "show off."

Virgil followed with the same grace but slower and he smiled down at Alan, "I learned from the best."

"Flatterer," Kayo smirked then jumped down to the ground with him as Gordon began the course, "I should get John so we can start the aerobatic program, gear up," she walked out clipping on her communicator as she did and heard it buzz as John's image appeared, "ah, I was just coming to get you. John, you're as pale as a sheet, are you okay?"

"Get my brothers and hurry. I'm around the back of the house on the rocks, and bring antivenom."

"Antivenom? John, what's happened?" She paused by the door and Scott looked over.

"Just get here, please."

Scott ran over as John's hologram disappeared, "what's happened?"

"Get the antivenom, the rest of you with me. Brains?"

"Yes, Kayo?"

"We might need you."

"Umm, FAB."

The five siblings and Brains ran out of the side door round to the rock face and Kayo and Virgil skidded to a halt as the snake hissed at them before tightening its body around John's hand.

"John!" Kayo cried.

"Kayo, that's a Death Adder," Gordon grabbed her arm, "deadly."

John winced, "no sudden movements, or it'll bite me."

Virgil looked at Brains, "what do we do?"

"It hasn't b-bitten him yet, but we need to unhook his hand somehow."

"I'll climb up onto the cliff and get the snake," Alan grinned, "I'm not scared of reptiles."

"No Alan, that's too dangerous," Virgil frowned sternly, "we need to get the snake to relax so John can get his hand loose."

Scott ran up, "here, I've got the...John!"

Virgil stuck his hand out, "Scott, no, that's a Death Adder, one of the most dangerous snakes out here."

Brains nodded, "okay, this sounds crazy, but John, I think you need to let it bite you."

"What?" Gordon cried, "Brains, that could kill him."

"Not necessarily, we have the antivenom and this snake can choose what venom to a-administrate."

"It will choose to kill him," Alan grimaced, "there must be another way?"

John quivered, "not to worry anyone, but I can't stand like this for much longer and I'm getting pins and needles in my hand," he stared at the snake which hissed again.

Virgil paced, "what if one of us put ourselves up as bait and moved at the last second to distract the snake?"

"I don't like that Virgil," Scott murmured.

"Either way one of us will be bitten, I'd rather it was one of us than John right now."

John rolled his eyes, "I guess there's no other choice" he pulled his hand away quickly and the snake sank its fangs into his wrist, he shouted in pain and fell, as he hit the ground the adder lost its grip and recoiled back for a second strike.

"Virgil!" Scott yelled and Virgil grabbed John in his arms before running clear from the snake which slithered back into the shelter of the rocks staring at them angrily, "get him into the house," John twitched in Virgil's arms as his body went into paralysis and Grandma gasped in horror as the tall ginger-haired boy was laid down on the sofa.

"Antivenom, now!" Virgil knelt beside his brother as Scott passed him the plunger then pulled the sleeve of John's shirt up, "easy John, easy," as he worked to clean the wound, Grandma held John's shoulder, Alan paced the room and Gordon went to console Brains who was biting his lip. John was as still as a statue and still foaming at the mouth slightly, Virgil pushed the nib down onto his arm then narrowed his eyes watching the wound carefully, "two more times should do it," he looked around, "did anyone see where the snake went?"

"I'll do a perimeter check," Kayo placed her hand on Scott's arm reassuringly then ran up the stairs to go through to the hangars, she leapt onto Shadow's bike and the hangar door opened as she tapped the accelerator down.

"I'm sorry, I should've t-thought of something else," Brains wrapped his arms around himself.

"He's going to be okay Brains, don't worry," Gordon rubbed his shoulder as Virgil cleaned the saliva off John's lips.

Virgil rocked back into his heels with a smile, "it's working, he should begin to feel his limbs again soon. Grandma, could you get a glass of water for him, please? We need to make sure his body functions are working."

Grandma stood up straight, "of course son, well done."

"Survival camp," Virgil smirked as he packed the antivenom kit away, he looked around for Scott but he had left the room, "keep an eye on John, Gordon, I'll be right back."

"I'll call you if anything happens."

"FAB," Virgil stood up and walked out onto the porch where Scott was leaning against the fence, "are you okay?" He asked gently.

Scott nodded, "I let one of you get hurt again."

"Scott, he went out by himself and let the snake bite him."

"We didn't think of anything, Virgil, he let himself get bitten because we weren't fast enough to think of an alternative," Scott snapped.

Virgil stood next to him, "we acted fast enough, he's safe."

"He'll always have those puncture marks showing him that we failed as brothers to save him," Scott looked down sorrowfully, "another thing I can add to the list of why I failed Dad."

"You haven't failed him, he would've been proud of how we acted just then."

"No he wouldn't, Virgil," he glared at him, "he would've got John off that rock somehow without him getting bitten. John gave up because we didn't act."

Kayo skidded the bike to a halt at the bottom of the steps and jumped out gracefully flipping her hair back, "no sign of the snake. Scott, what's wrong? You have a face like thunder."

"I'm fine Kayo, just worried about John."

"Well I know part of what you just said is a lie," she walked up the steps, "he won't blame you, you and Virgil saved his life."

Gordon ran out, "John is waking up, he's slurring a little but the antivenom worked."

Virgil nodded, "good. Scott?"

"Yeah, I need to apologise."

"Scud, where ish he?" John asked sitting up painfully as he looked around the room which was blurred in his vision.

"I'm here John, I am so sorry that we couldn't think of anything," Scott rubbed the back of John's hand gently.

"S'not your fault, I let duh shnake bite me, there washn't any odder choish."

"There was another choice, we could've done something," Scott sighed.

"No, or the bite could have been worsh."

Kayo smiled, "the good news is the snake has gone, the perimeter is clear."

John nodded, "good. I shhod have been more careful, or not gone alone in the firhst place."

"Any dizziness or side effects from the antivenom, John?" Virgil asked slipping into doctor mode, "we had to give you three shots of it for the jaw size."

"Apart from my speesh, I don't ache or anyfink."

"FAB, I suggest you get some sleep and don't try to get up just yet, you were rigid as anything."

John nodded, "FAB. Where are you guysh going?"

"Nowhere if you don't want us too?" Gordon smiled.

"I'll be ashleep, you don't haf to shtay."

Kayo checked the time, "we can run the aerobatic program still, let's go."

Virgil nodded, "I'm up for that, come on you two."

Grandma watched the group leave apart from Scott and she pulled up a chair beside the sofa as John fell asleep, "he'll be fine, Scott."

"What would Dad say, Grandma?"

"About what happened or at this very moment?"

"About what happened, we don't hesitate in this job and today we did just that. It got one of us badly hurt and had we left him any longer he could've died."

"He would have said you did the right thing applying the antivenom. John made the decision to get away himself, had he wanted your help he would've contributed to the ideas."

Scott sighed letting go of John's hand, "I just want dad back, I need someone else to make decisions for me, I keep making the wrong ones."

Grandma tutted sympathetically, "I can't think of any bad decisions you have made, apart from telling Gordon if he wished hard enough he could become a merman, that was a bad day."

Scott smirked thinking back to childhood when his water-loving brother had tied his feet together in the pool and tried to swim, unsuccessfully, "you can say anything when they're that young."

"You made the decision to trust Brains and the Mechanic and now we're weeks away from launching the Zero-XL to bring my son home, I'd say you're a great leader, and he would be proud of you. Listen to your brothers when they tell you that."

Scott nodded looking down at John, "I'm just glad he's okay."

"I'll keep an eye on him if you want to go and train with the others?"

"No it's alright, I'd rather stay here."

"Alright son, I'm going to put dinner on."

Scott cracked a smile, "you'll have to catch it first."

"You rotten child," Grandma laughed ruffling his hair, "it'll be nice."

Scott chuckled as she left the room and he propped his feet up beside John's, when the others returned to the house they found Scott fast asleep and Virgil grinned.

"I guess he needed the rest," he smiled at Kayo as Grandma beckoned them in for dinner.


	23. Merman

_Set before International Rescue started officially but after Jeff went missing._

_Gordon is 17, Alan is 13, John 19, Virgil 20, Scott 22_

"Look, a mermaid!"

"That's a merman, honey, a mermaid is a woman usually," the woman smiled at her child as she watched the young man swim against the glass waving at them.

"That's so cool."

The young man was Gordon Tracy, he was doing an internship taking a break from his aquanaut training and as soon as the opportunity had arisen to not just be in the water for a full thirty minutes but also interact with the public, he had signed every sheet of paper given to him. This was his fifth month working in Florida and today his brothers would be coming to see one of his shows, he waved goodbye to the child and swam back into the cave which led up to the surface behind the scenes in a pool, he emerged and gasped for air.

"Wow Gordon, you're our most enthusiastic prince," a girl smirked as she removed her tail suit to stretch her legs.

"Well Kelly, we're here for them, the kids. I never tire of it."

Kelly laughed, "what time is your next show?"

"Two hours time, I'm about to grab lunch, you're on next right?"

"Forty five minutes, I'm on my way to do my warm up."

"You'll nail it, you're trying the flip today right?"

"It worked in rehearsal, so fingers crossed."

Gordon hung his tail up and stretched, "wish you luck, I'll see you later."

Kelly grinned, "I can't wait," she reached up to him and he bent over to kiss her, she smiled, "hurry back."

Gordon grinned and left the pool area into the changing room, he slipped on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and unlocked his phone seeing a message from Scott, "awesome. Time to find out where everyone is," he opened a channel with his family as he walked out into the sunshine leaving the aquatics centre behind, "hey guys."

"Hi bro," Alan grinned from where he was sitting at the kitchen table on Tracy Island, "don't worry, I'll be there, John is flying us over soon."

John nodded, "yep, we won't miss it."

"I'm just driving to the aquatics centre now," Virgil's hologram showed him wearing a Bluetooth headset.

Scott smiled, "I'm outside if you want to meet for lunch?"

"Sure thing, where's Kayo?"

Virgil pointed to the seat beside him, "with me of course."

Kayo leaned into the view, "hey merman. How was the show?"

"I'm saving the best for you guys."

"It's so cute you get to live your childhood dream," Scott mocked, "how many times did we hear, 'I want to be a mermaid when I grow up!'"

"Oh shut up," Gordon laughed as he left the centre showing security his pass, "Scott, how close are you?"

Scott snuck up behind him and tapped his shoulder, "right here!"

Gordon yelped and the others laughed, "very funny."

A car pulled up into a space outside and Virgil got out with Kayo, they walked over arm in arm and Gordon thought about Kelly back inside, he disconnected the call with Scott and told Alan to join them as soon as he and John could.

"Where do you guys want to go for lunch then?" Gordon asked.

"Do you know anywhere good?" Virgil asked, slipping his hand into Kayo's back pocket, the two had recently become couple and weren't over the first stages just yet.

"Plenty of good places, follow me," they walked down the road and Gordon launched into conversation about a proposed plan the family were working on in spare time, "are you really thinking of doing it?"

Scott nodded, "it was dad's legacy, the least we can do is finish our training and bring it back to life, Grandma supports it too, and so does Penny," he added with a smile, he and Lady Penelope, an aristocrat who lived in England, were in a long distance relationship.

Virgil nodded, "I think we should do it, we all have pilot licenses now, thanks to being on the island."

Gordon led them into a burger bar, "this place is amazing."

"You're going to have a burger before swimming?" Virgil smirked as he slid into the booth with Kayo.

"Nah I'm going to have something small, I'll leave the pigging out to you," Gordon grinned as the waiter handed them menus, "has Brains finished the final craft?"

"Almost, just needs some fine tuning before she can sit up there for good, John can't wait," Kayo smiled, "it'll be sad not to have him on the island."

"He'll be very important to the organisation though," Scott smiled, "I can't wait to fly her, properly."

Virgil snorted as he read the menu, "she's nothing compared to my ship, in comparison she's minute."

"She is not minute, she'll be really important."

While they waited for their food, Kayo tried to get information about the show, she smirked across the table at Gordon.

"Can you tell us about the show or is it a surprise?"

"I'm not telling you anything, but you're going to love it."

Scott smiled, "it's not dangerous is it?"

"Oh yes, it's potentially very dangerous, that's why it's so hard to get a job working there. I only got it because I already had deep sea training and diving experience, if you don't breath properly or inhale too much water etc you could drown."

"What?"

"Scott, relax, I'm fine and all of the other performers have been doing it for years, the oldest person there is in her thirties, she's kinda our tutor. The youngest is sixteen, she's super talented and has her eyes on becoming the lead."

"Who is the lead at the moment, is it Kelly?" Virgil asked.

"Sadly not, she deserves that position but she prefers being the background dancer and singer."

"Oh no, we're not going to hear you sing are we?" Scott smirked.

"Don't be rude, and you might do," Gordon checked the time, "I might have to love you and leave you at this lunch."

"You've still got an hour and a half," Scott looked at his watch, "Alan and John should be arriving soon."

"How are they getting here?" Kayo asked.

"Airport then getting a cab I think, that's what John originally said."

"I'm not picking him up," Virgil said leaning back as their food was brought over, "I'll still be eating."

Scott hummed happily, "this is amazing."

"Which burger did you get?" Gordon asked as he dug into his chicken burger.

"The cheese and bacon with pickles."

"Copycat," Virgil smiled across at him, "you heard what I was getting and decided not to be original."

Kayo laughed as she dabbed burger sauce off her lip, "I'm impressed they managed to do such a good bean burger, I've had some pretty rubbish ones in the past."

Gordon left fifteen minutes before the rest of them leaving behind payment, on the way back he ran into John and Alan who were getting out of a cab.

"Hey guys, good flight?"

John nodded, "just glad we took our own jet, supersonic is the way to go. How are you feeling?"

"More nervous since you're here to watch."

"The man becomes a fish," Alan grinned.

"You know it sprout, well I better go and warm up," Gordon ruffled Alan's hair, "see you guys in the audience."

"We look forward to it, where are the others?"

"On their way, I hope, I left them to deal with the bill," Gordon smirked, "see ya!"

John chuckled, "we still have forty five minutes, want to wander?"

"FAB," Alan grinned, "tell Scott where we are though."

Gordon walked through the entrance to the mermaid pool and went backstage, he passed two other guys one his age and the other he knew was in his thirties and they high fived him.

"Just done a show guys?" Gordon asked.

"Just finished, Fillipe is in your show."

"Si, I can't wait," the young Spanish man grinned.

"See you down there then," Gordon grinned, "I'm about to go and get ready," he dropped his stuff off in the locker room then walked through to the main warm up area to have a shower and oil his legs so he could get the tail on, he sat down on the bench and ran his hands down his shins.

"Hey fishy," Kelly smirked as she came to sit beside him.

"Hey, how did it go?"

Kelly nodded, "it was great and the flip was perfect. However, we had an emergency."

"Shit, what happened?"

"Sofia got cramp fifteen minutes in and we had to help her get out without making it look like an emergency."

"Is she okay now?"

"Yes, she's been having a foot massage, but she won't be doing another show today."

"Awh poor thing," Gordon stood up and got his tail down from where it was hanging up, "I'm so nervous about this show."

"How come?" Kelly stood up and tied her hair into a bun.

"My family are here to see it."

Kelly grinned, "the infamous Tracy family."

"Yep, they've never seen me in mermaid form. I better go and apply my makeup."

"I'll join you, I need to remove mine anyway."

Gordon entwined his fingers with hers and smiled, "you can do my eyeliner then, I still haven't got used to doing it."

Kelly laughed, "hopeless," she sat him down in front of the mirror in his separate room to the women, "how old is Alan now?"

"Thirteen in march."

"Aww his teenage years begin," Kelly tilted his head in her hand as she drew a perfect green line on his eyelid, "beautiful already."

"What would I do without you?" Gordon grinned and he felt her lips press against his.

"You'd struggle to look good underwater that's for sure."

Gordon opened his eyes and smiled, "wow, nice work."

"I've been doing this for ages," Kelly smirked before kissing his cheek, "perfect."

Gordon painted his lips gold then pulled Kelly across his lap, "I'm finished after this show, want me to walk you home later?"

"Awwh, I would love that except I'm going home soon, that was my last show of the day. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Do you want gold lips?"

"You can smother gold all over me if you really want."

"Pucker up," Gordon snogged her and a call alerted over the intercom announcing show 5 to get ready to hit the pool for a quick rehearsal, he broke the kiss reluctantly, "I guess this is me. See you tomorrow my little mermaid."

"'Till then sweet prince," she slipped off his bare knees and stroked his chin before leaving the dressing room, Gordon sighed passionately then added the final touches to his body.

Scott sat down in the front row with his siblings either side of him and looked out at the tank, "that's so deep, and are those, turtles?"

John nodded as he read the program, "yep, the merfolk perform as if they were real and so they work with the wildlife."

"John shh, there are kids in here who do think it's real," Virgil hissed as children around them chatted loudly and excitedly.

John rolled his eyes, "alright alright, they have to swim with any wildlife which approaches them."

"Is Gordon in the program?" Kayo asked reaching across.

"He's in the newbie section," Alan smiled broadly, "but there isn't a photo of him."

Virgil pointed to a photo, "that's Kelly, Gordon's girlfriend."

Kayo looked at the photo of the slender ginger haired girl, her photo was taken underwater and she raised her eyebrows, "I can see why Gordon likes her, she's his type for sure."

Scott sat back, "this will be a memory I'll never forget."

Music started and three girls swam up from a cave, children leapt up from their seats and waved at the performers, but the Tracys were looking for Gordon, the music increased and two men swam out trailing breathing tubes behind them, they slotted the tubes into some pockets in the rocks and began a routine with the girls who began to sing. The storyline was pretty childish but the lights in the tank mesmerised the audience, Gordon swam up to the glass and he waved at his family adding a wink for Kayo who laughed.

"Wow, he's quite graceful underwater," Virgil crossed his arms with amusement.

"How is he breathing?" Scott frowned, "there can't be much air in those pipes."

John smiled, "I had to do a similar procedure when training to be an astronaut, it's all about controlled breathing, he's fine Scott, look."

Scott watched Gordon take a breath from the tube before returning to the intricate dance, "if you say so."

The line of performers bowed then gracefully swam back down to the tunnel leading back to the warm up pool, Scott continued to clap until Gordon's tail disappeared from view.

"That was amazing."

Virgil grinned, "that's why he's our aquanaut, come on, let's go and meet him."

Kayo slipped her hand into his, "that was mesmerising, I'd be terrified to hold my breath that long."

Gordon walked out of the aquatics centre and shook his hair before spotting his family, he ran over and found himself squashed between five bodies, "awwh, did you guys enjoy it?"

Scott grinned, "I didn't know you had that level of artistic form in you."

"Water is my element," Gordon smiled back hugging Alan tightly around his shoulders, "it's nice this day is over though, want to come back to mine?"

John nodded, "sounds good to me. Will Kelly be there?"

"Not tonight, she's going out with her mermaid friends," he got out his car key, "John, Alan, want to come with me?"

"I'll follow in my car," Scott smiled, "I'm parked more or less beside yours Virgil."

"FAB, we'll go in a convoy."

Gordon showed them into the studio apartment, "welcome."

Kayo smiled, "this is fancy, won't you be sad to leave it?"

"When we move to the island permanently? Of course I will, but this job was only ever going to be temporary," Gordon walked over with a tray of drinks.

Virgil smiled from where he was sharing the large beanbag with Kayo, "you're renting right?"

"Yes, I wouldn't have bought anywhere knowing I'd be leaving, unlike you."

Virgil shrugged, "it seemed like a good investment, and it'll be useful."

Scott smiled, "well Gordon, that was an amazing show, well done."

"Thanks for coming to see it, I was so nervous today with you guys in the audience," Gordon tapped his glass against Scott's then with the others, "when do I need to hand in my letter of resignation?"

"Not just yet."


	24. 21 Questions

Scott moaned at the suggestion of the next campfire game but earned a marshmallow to the head for his grumpiness, "that was uncalled for."

"So is your protesting," Gordon threw a couple more twigs onto the fire, "right, who wants to be the answerer?"

Alan grinned, "I will, gimme all you've got."

Kayo shone Virgil's shoulder torch on him illuminating him in an eerie green light, "question 1, if you weren't in International Rescue, what is your ideal job?"

Alan smiled, "a vet, I love saving lives."

"Question 2, what is the worst thing you've ever done?" Gordon asked grinning from cheek to cheek.

"Oh man, I have to come clean don't I?" Alan looked across to Gordon who nodded, "alright, I swapped sugar for salt in one of Grandma's cakes once then said it was her who did it, that was more or less the same time her cooking got bad."

"Woah, Alan!" Virgil laughed, "that's malicious."

"I was really young."

"You're still really young," Scott chuckled, "my turn to ask. What three words would you use to describe yourself?"

"Funny, active and clever."

Kayo laughed, "I'm not sure I would agree with being active apart from when you're on missions. Virgil?"

"OK Alan, question 4, what's your secret talent?"

"There's a reason the word secret is in front of it," Alan rolled his eyes, "fine, fine. I've never told anyone this but I am really good at paper art, origami and stuff like that."

Virgil grinned, "oh you have to teach me, I've always wanted to design a Thunderbird 2 one."

"You can copy mine."

They reached the final question and by this point Alan's head was hurting, Scott grinned at him as he toasted another marshmallow.

"Final question, out of all of us, who is your favourite sibling?"

Alan looked around at all of them then smiled, "sorry but it's you Scott, you're my big brother, who else am I going to say."

"But you say I drive you crazy?"

"I idolise you, you're who I look up to, literally."

Kayo smiled as the two hugged, "who wants to go next?"

Scott let go of Alan reluctantly and nodded, "I'll go, it looks like fun."

"It's really not, it feels like an interrogation."

Ten easy questions went by then they began to get harder, Alan aimed the hardest ones as payback but Gordon made sure to add in comedic flares.

"Between being a child or a girl for a day, what would you rather?"

"What kind of a question is that?" Scott threw his hands up, "Gordon, each one you've asked me has been like this."

Gordon shrugged, "what's your answer?"

"Well to make you laugh, I'd say be a girl for the day, I mean it's not that bad, right Kayo?"

"Oh, I'd let you use my makeup whenever you wanted," she grinned and Virgil laughed.

"Question 11, what is the weirdest nickname ever given to you, not by us?"

"Ooh nice one Virg," Alan smiled, "we all know his personal ones."

Scott bit his lip, "alright but don't start using this, it was daddy-long-legs," he blushed as his siblings fell about laughing, "oh come on it's not that funny."

"I am so using that!" Gordon sat up from the sand he had fallen back onto, "long legs, oh that's good!"

"Shut up."

"It's the daddy which makes it, who called you that?" Virgil coughed as he got his voice back.

"My first girlfriend."

Alan sniggered, "we're definitely using that."

Scott crossed his arms, "next question."

"Question 12. Cake or pie?"

"Pie."

"13. Do you think breaking up via text is right or wrong?"

"Wrong."

These questions went on until twenty one, and Kayo leant forward with the torch.

"Is it okay to sacrifice one life to save ten?"

Scott froze and immediately scowled, "why would you ask me that?" He stood up, "that's enough."

Virgil watched him march down the beach out of earshot, "that was too far Kayo."

"It's a valid question."

"Not to him."

Alan cocked his head to the side, "what's wrong?"

"Ask him," Virgil poked the fire as Kayo stood up, "then I'll explain."

Kayo slipped her flip flops on and walked down to the shoreline where Scott was sitting on the rocks, she hopped up beside him and sighed, "I'm really sorry."

"I know."

"When have you had to choose?"

"More times than I can count."

"I guess I knew that, but I was only curious."

"Try not being curious next time."

"Scott, please look at me," she sighed and he turned, his eyes were watering and she sighed, "I wasn't trying to get in your head, I just picked a question at random."

Scott narrowed his eyes, "I've had to choose one life over ten so many times Kayo, you just can't save everyone, if you're lucky you can evacuate a whole building but sometimes the only person you can save is right in front of you and that's all, you don't get a choice, you only do what you can there and then."

Kayo watched the man break in front of her, "we won't play anymore, I'm really sorry," she went to leave but he grabbed her arm gently.

"Wait. The question just reminded me that Dad was one person and I couldn't save him and now I've saved groups of people, which kinda makes up for it," he sighed, "I'm sorry I snapped."

"It's fine, I was the one who asked the question," she jumped down from the rocks and heard him jump down beside her, "are you coming back to the bonfire?"

Scott nodded, "yeah, it's just a game after all."

Kayo sat down beside Virgil, "we're good."

Virgil looked across at Scott, "new game guys? How many marshmallows can we get on the stick."

"I have a better game, dare or dare."

"It's dark Gordon, that's not a good idea."

"What about a campfire song then, or something similar?" Kayo asked thinking about the scorpions which liked to come out at that time of night.

Virgil nodded, "good thing I brought my guitar down."

"One of us always does," Gordon reached behind himself and pulled round a guitar, "fight!"

"Or just a trio," Scott bit his lip as he got his guitar from behind his log.

Kayo looked at Alan, "please don't."

"Nah, mine is on the wall like always," he ushered the others, "someone play then?"

Virgil shrugged and began to play smiling when Gordon and Scott joined in, "that'll be three of us."


	25. Elder tears

Scott wouldn't hurt anyone, wouldn't break their heart in fact he would do his damn hardest to fix the problems, but if something hurts him everyone knows about it. Kayo was picking flowers for Grandma when she heard sobbing coming from the sun house in the garden, it wasn't hidden but if one wanted they could find a spot where they could only see the ocean, she knew that Scott had just returned from his vacation on the mainland and it sounded like something had gone wrong, she jogged up the steps and found the young man curled up on the swing seat crying.

"Scotty, what's wrong?"

"She cheated on me, all this time she's been seeing someone else," Scott's head sank lower into his arms and Kayo sat down beside him, she had been cheated on in the past but was now happily with Virgil.

"I'm really sorry, I thought you two were good."

Scott sighed heavily, "so did I."

Kayo wrapped her arms around him as he trembled beneath her touch, "shh."

"I've never done anything to her, I've given her everything. Why did she cheat?" Scott looked up angrily, tears swam in his blue eyes and Kayo stroked his cheek before he rubbed his sleeve across his face.

"People change, and not always for the better."

"I even told her I was the lead of International Rescue so I couldn't be with her all of the time, maybe that's why."

"You're the most dedicated man I know other than Virgil, it looks like something happened out of your control and she let it, you're not at fault here," Kayo smiled then lost her balance as Scott stood up quickly, tilting the chair back against the wall.

"I let it happen."

Kayo reached out, "Scott, you're not at fault, please listen to me," he looked back at her tearfully, "she cheated on you, you didn't do anything."

"But maybe I inadvertently drove her away," he sighed, "I'm an idiot, Kayo," he sank into her arms and she sighed.

"I know you don't want to hear this, but you're better off without someone who would cheat on you, find someone who loves you no matter where you are."

Scott pulled back, "that's easy for you to say, you're dating my brother who lives here."

"Yes, I'm being slightly unrealistic I'll give you that, but there's no point crying over someone who sounds to me like she was never faithful to begin with, you can correct me if I'm wrong."

Scott dried his eyes, "I did more than her in the relationship."

"There you go then, come on, I'll make us some coffee. Lounge?"

Scott nodded, "see you there."

Virgil walked into the main room and looked up at his piano where Scott was playing, "hey, Kayo told me what happened, are you okay?"

Scott sighed and pulled his hands off the keys, "no, I'm not."

Virgil rolled his father's chair over to the piano, "who did she get with?"

"Remember Robert Houseman?"

"Vaguely."

Scott nodded, "yeah him, I was on my way to her apartment to surprise her and walked past them snogging outside a cafe, she saw me and didn't care," he shook his head, "she put the blame on me instead."

"You're better off without her then."

Kayo hopped up onto the desk after giving Scott a mug of coffee, "if she put the blame on you then who is the mean one really?"

"I guess her."

Virgil spotted a smudge on his brother's shirt where the tears hadn't dried, "don't cry over this Scott."

"You could find someone on a mission," Kayo smiled encouragingly, "you're constantly charming."

Scott chuckled, "I didn't think I was, not on missions anyway."

"You flirt more than I used to," Virgil smiled, "forget about her okay?"

"I'll try, but she's the one who is happy."

Kayo shook her head, "no she's not if she felt the need to cheat on you, if she really loved you then she would've waited for you to come and visit and remained faithful, like you were to her."

Scott found himself wrapped in a hug between Kayo and Virgil, "thanks guys."


	26. Chocolate thief

Virgil grinned at the chocolate bar in the fridge, that had been one to sneak past Grandma on their last shop, yep he couldn't wait to dig into it, he reached in only to find someone had snapped off the first two rows but flattened the packet out so it looked like a brand new bar, he slammed the fridge door shut angrily and jogged upstairs where his siblings were relaxing in various pursuits.

"Who's the wise guy who thought it would be funny to steal my chocolate?"

"No idea what you're talking about Virgil," Gordon turned back to his book.

"Chocolate in this house doesn't go unnoticed, ever," Alan shrugged.

Scott smirked, "I've never seen any in the house."

Virgil's face got darker still, "one of you has folded it to make it look like a whole bar is inside."

"That's pretty clever," Gordon remarked and Scott nodded.

"What flavour is it?" Alan asked.

"Orange."

Alan made a face, "eww, weird, milk is so much better."

Virgil's expression softened, "I know how I'm going to get to the bottom of this, preferred flavours, who else likes orange chocolate?"

All eyes darted to Kayo's portrait and Virgil grinned relieved that it was his girlfriend and not a brother.

"Well well, I think you owe us an apology Virg," Gordon crossed his arms, "I steal a lot from you but I'd never tamper with food."

Kayo walked into the lounge, "what's going on, have I missed a mission debrief?"

Virgil shook his head, "no, just a game of Cluedo."

"Yeah, orange ya glad you missed it!" Gordon smirked and Scott laughed as Kayo blushed.

"Virgil I can explain, I just saw it and you know that's my favourite flavour?"

Virgil smiled, "I forgive you, but why did you fold it back up to look brand new?"

Kayo pressed her forehead against her hand, "I was trying to be clever."

"Careful sis, that's dangerous," Alan grinned and Kayo threw a pillow at his head, "hey, watch it!"

Grandma stormed into the room, "alright, which one of you has had a slice of cake before I served it?"

Scott gulped as he looked up at Grandma, "umm."

"Well?"

"Might have been me."

Alan laughed, "Scott?"

Grandma hit him gently on the head with the wooden spoon, "I expected better from you Scott Carpenter Tracy."

"Well it said France on the label and they make amazing chocolate over there, I thought it was there for the taking."

Virgil chuckled now sat beside Kayo on the sofa, "busted."

"That makes two of us today," Kayo rested her head against his arm.


	27. I-Spy

The journey from their home to Grandma's was 100 miles by car and they had already done 50, Jeff and Lucy had decided to leave early in the morning so that their five sons would all still asleep but now it was midday and they were very much awake, Gordon and Alan were already bickering whilst John was trying to read.

"John, don't read too much or you'll get car sick," Lucy looked round at the six year old, his ginger head was buried in a book about the planets.

John looked up, "I don't get car sick."

"Yes you do, put it down honey."

Scott leant on his hand, they were surrounded by sand and desert, the last car they had passed had been an hour ago, "how many more miles Dad?"

"Another forty at least son, we'll stop for our picnic soon."

Scott nodded solemnly, "by the time we get to Grandma's, it'll be dark."

"You like visiting Grandma," Lucy scolded, "and don't make faces."

Virgil giggled, "you'll be stuck with that face one day."

Gordon poked John in the arm with his goldfish plush, "Johnny, say hi to Florence!"

"Stop it, stop poking me!

Lucy stroked Alan's golden hair from where he sat in his car seat directly behind her and Jeff, the three year old was still asleep and she smiled fondly, "Jeff, we should pull over soon before the next argument starts."

Jeff nodded, "there's a lovely stretch coming up in about ten miles if everyone can hold on until then."

Lucy looked back at her four older boys, "hmm, okay."

Gordon sat up, "I-Spy with my little eye, something beginning with, J!"

Scott rolled his eyes, "John?"

Gordon giggled cheerfully, "nope, guess again Scotty."

"Do I have to?"

Lucy begged with her eyes, "son," her eldest had just entered his teenage years and it was showing in his moods.

"Fine. Juice?"

"Nope."

"Virgil, any guesses?" Scott rolled his eyes.

"J, umm, jam?"

"Nooo, do you guys give up?"

John sighed, "yep."

"Jaguar!"

"You didn't see a jaguar Gordon, that's stupid."

Jeff frowned, "Scott, stop it."

"I'll do one then," he sulked and looked out of the window seeing cacti darting past, "I spy with my..."

"Blue eyes!"

"Yes, blue eyes, something beginning with C."

"Cat?" Gordon asked.

"No."

John grinned, "cactuses."

Virgil smiled, "cacti John, that's the plural."

"Smartypants," John frowned, "are we really going to play this game for ten miles? I have a book."

"I-Spy with my little eye, something beginning with C," Virgil smirked.

"Cactus."

"We've done that one, Gords."

Scott huffed and rested his head back against the cushioned seat, "I'm so bored."

"Join in the game then," Lucy smiled, "Scooter, be nice to your brothers."

The ten miles passed painfully and they pulled in to a lay by, desert had turned into forest and everyone was happier to feel fresh air as opposed to air conditioning and desert temperatures, Scott passed Virgil a sandwich then smiled as his two year younger brother rested against him, Lucy held Alan on her lap as he ate crackers, Gordon was still playing with his fish and had already run off from the group twice and John had found a reading spot.

Jeff looked over the map, "thirty miles to go give or take."

"Good, our boys look knackered, apart from Gordon," Lucy glanced over at the fish loving boy who was running around.

"That's normal," Jeff grinned proudly, "don't worry about him sweetheart."

Scott gave Virgil a piece of rope, "now you try."

"How did you do that?"

"Want me to show you again?" Scott raised an eyebrow, "I think you'll be able to do it."

Virgil bit his lip then twisted the rope around threading one end to the other, "argh, it went wrong!"

Jeff smiled fondly, "need a hand, boys?"

Scott shook his head, "he'll get it Dad, I know he will."

Virgil started again and examined Scott's example, "that goes here, pull here...Scott, I got it!

Scott smirked, "easy right?"

Lucy checked the time, "let's go angels, we still have a long journey before reaching your Grandma's."

Another game of I-Spy started but there were less voices involved, Lucy looked back over her shoulder to see Gordon and Virgil playing along but John had turned back to his book and Scott had fallen asleep against Virgil's shoulder, Alan was sleeping peacefully and she smiled at Jeff.

"Yep. They're great boys sweetheart," Jeff smiled as he looked ahead at the road.


	28. Scott's sonata

"I'm taking a break from the island, is that okay?"

Jeff nodded, "of course, but where are you going?"

"The house in Wellington."

"Are you alright?"

Scott nodded, "yeah, I've just been balancing the rescue life for too long, I need to get in touch with my social side."

"Son, I'm sorry you had to take on the business when I left, it wasn't meant to fall to you until much later in life."

Scott smiled, "oh I know, and it's fine, I just want some fun."

"I get your meaning and I don't want to know," Jeff chuckled as his eldest son grinned childishly.

"I'll be back in a couple of days, I've taught Gordon how to fly Thunderbird 1 if he so chooses."

"How are you getting there then?"

"Jet and then the car," Scott shrugged, "my bag is packed and in Tracy One already."

"Do not take her joyriding Scott, the car or the jet."

"Alright dad. See you soon," he left the lounge and jogged down to the hangars passing Virgil, "it's a yes."

"He doesn't know that we're going too, right?"

"He'll find out the hard way, let's go."

Kayo hopped up into the jet with Virgil snuggled half in his lap and the other in the seat, "thanks for giving us a lift to Wellington."

Scott closed the roof down on them all and taxied out of the hangar, "think nothing of it love birds."

As arranged they flew to the main airfield where Scott had remotely driven the car to meet him, he said goodbye to his siblings who made their way to the terminal to get a taxi into town and he took the car back to their New Zealand residence, the gates opened at his entrance and he drove up the path to the three-storey house parking the car alongside two others; one belonging to his father and the other to Virgil. The inside of the house gleamed in the sunshine and he found a note from their cleaner welcoming Jeff back, he smiled tenderly and closed the front door behind him as he dropped his bags off in the hallway, of course he now wished his siblings were here, but there was a reason he had come alone and that reason lay in the lounge, he opened the veranda doors wide and crossed the floor to the ebony grand piano pausing only by the stool to take out a small pile of sheet music on which was scribbled notation, he sat down on the red velvet padding and opened the fallboard revealing the shiny polished keys, usually Virgil played this when everyone was in the house but recently Scott had been taking solo trips to just play without anyone around to hear him, he opened the sheet music and dropped a couple of pieces of paper to the ground labelled part I, he looked back at the paper in front of him and stretched his fingers before rolling up the sleeves of his shirt allowing a bracelet to hang from his wrist, then with a sigh he began to play. The introduction was melodious and sweet, hands danced over each other across the keys sometimes waltzing at the top and then rumbling in the bottom octaves, he closed his eyes with a smile as he remembered every note he had composed then the music halted abruptly as he reached the new section he had come over to work on, he picked up a pencil off the music shelf and sat forward on the stool writing notes to existing phrases before trying out passages, his phone buzzed on the shelf and he released the pedal as he unlocked the message, his brother appeared above.

"Virg?"

"Hey, are we allowed to come over or would you rather we didn't?"

"I'm only composing."

"So, is that a yes?"

"If you let me get on with it and don't disturb me," Scott smirked as he glanced at his sheet music, "and I mean that Virgil."

"FAB, we'll come round the back entrance and stay by the pool. Does that suffice?"

"Sounds good to me, see you soon," Scott hung up the call rolling his eyes humorously then turned back to the sheet music, it was sounding good but why was the transition not working? The cadence, as Virgil would say, was correct and he had the right chords down, he replayed the cluster and smiled when the transition worked the second time, halfway through the second movement he was composing he heard his siblings enter the house and disappear upstairs then grinned when he heard someone attempting to tiptoe through the lounge.

"Virgil, I know that's you."

"Sorry, I just wanted to grab the scrabble board."

"You don't need to tiptoe, oh but I could use your input. What do you think of this?" Scott refaced the keys as Virgil sat down on one of the chairs beside the piano, Kayo leant on the balcony overlooking the lounge gazing down at her eldest brother and smiled lovingly as he played, only she and Virgil knew why he came here to play as opposed to the island, here, he wasn't interrupted for one matter and two he could play without anyone seeing him, despite his bold personality he was shy when it came to music. The chords were placed down heavily and Virgil moved round to read the notes on the paper Scott was following, he chewed his lip then held his brother's hands still momentarily.

"Try that chord, with these notes."

Scott let his brother place his fingers two intervals apart, "for definite?"

"Uh-huh and use the sostenuto."

"The what?"

"Basic pianist," he tutted, "the far left pedal."

Scott rolled his eyes, "I didn't know it had a fancy name," he moved his foot beside the other and pressed it down.

"Try that phrase again, the rest is sounding really good."

Kayo nodded and moved down the stairs, "he's right."

Scott smiled, "thanks guys, although this is the reason I come here alone usually," he began to play the phrase Virgil had suggested to him and his brother sat back down with Kayo, he reached the end of the section and brought his hands back from the keys, "well?"

"I like it, is this a sonata you're working on?"

"Yeah. How could you tell?"

"You've written part II on the manuscript," Virgil smiled, "we're making coffee, would you like one?"

"I never say no to offered coffee, thanks," Scott wrote up the bars he had just played then sat back on the stool rubbing his fingers gently.

The trio returned to the island a couple of days later and straight into Jeff, Scott left his brother to face the wrath of leaving and went up to the piano placing some sheets onto the music rack, at the sound of his playing Jeff turned round from scolding Virgil and Kayo and just watched his eldest.

"When did he become so good at the piano?"

Virgil shrugged, "eight years is a long time dad," he nodded to Kayo and they slipped out of the room as Jeff continued to watch Scott play.

"I see."

Scott smiled as his father came and stood beside him, "hey dad," he uttered still watching his hands and checking his place in the music.

"I never knew you had it in you son."

"To sit still long enough at anything?"

"No," he chuckled lightly, "to inherit your mother's prowess."

Scott shrugged as he turned the page quickly, "I'm nowhere near as good as Virgil, he practises."

"What's this called?"

"I wrote it, it doesn't have a name yet," he reached up to the top octaves then jerked his head sideways gently to flick back a strand of hair which had come loose, he smiled as his father stroked it back, "thanks."

"Do you mind if I name it then?"

Scott released the pedal as the end of the piece resonated around the room, "sure."

"I want to call it Scott's sonata."

Scott smiled tearfully, "I love it, dad," he choked as a sob cut into his voice and he leant into his father's side.

"I'm so proud of you."

"Ha, it's only a piano piece," Scott chuckled as he wiped away tears on the back of his hand.

"No no, I'm proud of who you've become; a leader, a boss but also another father figure to your brothers' eyes. It's the one thing I agonised over when the Zero X failed, what would happen to you back at home."

Scott smiled up at him from the piano stool, "it was all an inner monologue, what would dad do?"

"I hope you didn't always think that when decision making?"

"There was nothing else to think," Scott brushed his hand across the keys absentmindedly, "it's all I could say, dad. It's what guided me."

Jeff rubbed his shoulder, "it worked son, you came and got me back."


	29. Car rescue

Alan wasn't always homeschooled but he hated being trapped in a building he didn't want to be in all day, the island was open and his family were there, no teachers told him what to do and he could work anywhere as opposed to stuck in a hall, so, the day he was done with the school buildings was one he kept as a treasured memory, one his father wasn't pleased with but Alan loved. To his knowledge, it had started with his eldest brother moaning at his dad about how much he hated being at college and his dad firmly saying no to him dropping out early, or that's what Scott had told him afterwards. It was approaching the end of his first year and Alan had already achieved more credits than anyone else, papers had been emailed to him about signing up for the next programs and advising him which subjects to take, but those still sat in his unread folder, he looked over at his bed where sat was a large suitcase alongside his guitar and precious belongings waiting to be put into the family jet in a week when he could finally leave college for the holidays, he sighed leaning back in his chair after reading a "hurry and choose" email when suddenly there was a screech of wheels from outside and a red car drove up parking beside his window, his eldest two brothers grinned at him.

"Scott, Virgil, how did you?"

"Thunderbird 1, I'll probably be grounded for this but who cares," Scott smiled, "get your stuff and hop in."

"You can't park here," Alan scolded as Virgil opened the passenger door and walked round to the window to take his stuff from him.

"The less time we're here the better, we're pulling you out of college."

"But, dad?"

"But dad nothing, we'll help you get through the next three years, and we need you, now hurry up," Virgil took the last of his bags and slammed the trunk door down.

"What about the forms?" Alan tucked his laptop under his arm as he leant on the window ledge.

"Do them at home, we'll meet you around the front," Virgil shut his door and turned to the eldest, "step on it Scott."

Alan watched the car turn around the corner and he looked around his emptier room with a grin, no college? He had won, his brothers were definitely the coolest even if he hated to admit it to them in person, he closed the window and checked the room again before closing the door and running out of the halls, "so long!" He called cheerfully as he skipped down the steps and Scott held the car door open for him.

"Let's go," Virgil looked back over his shoulder as a security guard appeared.

"Okay okay, I'm on it," Scott stomped down on the accelerator and the tyres skidded as they left the grass and found the gravel path out of the boarding school, "we'll be fine now. Alan, you better have everything?"

"I do yes, I triple checked."

"And slow down Scott, there's no need to be reckless," Virgil glared at him, "you're not in Thunderbird 1 yet, this is a rental too."

"You're such a backseat driver, Virgil, but fine."

Alan smiled when the airfield came into view and his brother's rocket plane stood shining in the sunshine, her nose cone red as cherry and wings glistening, "it's good to see her again."

Scott grinned as he drove up to the barrier, "uh-huh."

They got on board after Scott signed the car off and belongings were strapped in and Alan got comfortable in one of the seats behind the pilot chair, "what did dad say about this?"

"He's pretty annoyed at me, but you weren't happy there Alan, we could tell you never wanted to go in the first place," Scott smiled back over his shoulder, "I'll take whatever is coming."

"Thanks, guys."

"What are brothers for?" Scott fired Thunderbird up, "ETA home, 1 hour."

"That's insane!" Alan grinned broadly.

"Brains has been doing some upgrades," Virgil smiled as he crossed his arms, "I just wish he added more windows in here."

"Quit moaning," Scott smirked, "what was getting you down the most there Alan?"

"I missed you guys and our rescue business, I'm made for space not land. I know dad wanted me to go to college like you guys did, but I've been out of the education system for so long, I felt weird, not to mention I'm only sixteen, everyone there is older than me and they don't like it."

Virgil smiled sympathetically, "explain that to dad and he'll understand."

"Do you really think so?"

"He should do."

Jeff paced the lounge looking at the portraits of his sons, Grandma Tracy watched him and tutted, "son, let them be."

"Scott took Thunderbird 1 without permission, and now he won't answer my calls."

"He'll be back soon."

"If we get a callout, we don't have any ships."

"Gordon can fly Thunderbird 2 son."

"I know mother, but I like to have everyone here when we get a call."

"You're just anxious, whilst you were gone I watched these boys, they work off each other, almost mirror. Gordon can fly Thunderbird 2 in his sleep, best that he doesn't do that literally of course."

Jeff looked out to the pool area as the underground mechanisms began pulling it open, "good, Thunderbird 1 is back."

"Good, I'll put the dinner on."

Jeff chuckled softly as his mother walked down to the kitchen, "FAB," moments later his three sons walked into the lounge and he noticed Scott brush his hand against Alan's, "Alan?"

"Dad."

"You actually pulled him out of college?! How on earth?"

Scott shrugged, "car rescue, hired one for a couple of hours and picked him up. What's wrong?"

"I never agreed for Alan to be taken out of college!"

Alan shrank against Virgil's side, "dad, he's our best space pilot, we need him," the second eldest frowned sadly.

Jeff sighed and turned to Alan, "do you really not want to be there son?"

Alan shook his head, "no sir, I miss home too much and everyone there is older than me, I feel out of place."

Jeff smiled, "come here," he wrapped his little boy in his arms and sighed as he looked up at Scott and Virgil, "I just thought you'd want to follow your brothers in the living away from home life?"

"I did once but now we have a family business, I don't want to miss out," he pressed his cheek to his father's waist, "sorry."

Jeff tutted, "I'm not angry at you, but I am angry that you launched Thunderbird 1 without asking, Scott."

"It was an emergency dad, Alan wasn't happy," Scott shrugged as he followed Virgil down into the ring.

"Come here you two," Jeff beckoned to them and they trudged over, he pulled them into the hug and Scott curled his body around Alan's as Virgil smiled, "maybe I was rushing, I've only just got back and I'm breaking you up, I'm sorry."

Scott smiled, "it's fine dad, but that's not going to happen again."

Virgil nodded, "not if we have any say in it," he closed his eyes happily as his father's hand ran down his hair.

"Alright, you can continue being homeschooled Alan, if you want your degree that is?"

"Can I have a year off to just focus on the rescue business, please?"

Jeff smiled as he freed them from the hug, "we'll see. But Scott?"

"Yes?"

"You're grounded from pleasure trips for a month."

Scott pouted, "I suppose that's fair."

"Welcome home, son," Jeff hugged his youngest boy again as Virgil grinned at Scott who was still pouting.


	30. Plans for the future

_'It is important to plan for the future."_

"This is a serious topic boys, when I'm gone are you going to continue the organisation?"

Scott nodded, "of course dad, until we're too old to run it mind you."

"And what about your children? It's important to plan for the future."

Gordon blushed, "children?"

Virgil smirked, "and how are you going to propose that to Penelope then?"

Jeff frowned, "you can tease each other later, for now, what are you going to do. Remain a family business as you get older or split apart?"

"Why would we split up?" Scott's eyes widened in shock.

"I took you away from the careers you all may have wanted to do."

"We love being International Rescue dad," Virgil smiled, "I don't know if I could be without Thunderbird 2."

Scott grinned, "what if you had a family?"

"I'd still want thunderbird 2 in my care."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Ten years late_r

Kayo kissed Virgil's cheek as she sat down on the sofa beside him as their ten year old daughter ran into the lounge, "how is she our kid when she acts like your brother?"

Scott smirked from the desk, "think she'll make a good Thunderbird 1 pilot?"

"Ha! She's taking Thunderbird 2 not your ship."

"Uncle Scott, will you teach me to fly?"

"When you're older, Tara."

"International Rescue, we have a situation," John appeared above the table smiling.

Kayo wrapped her arms around her daughter as she looked up at John, "what's happened?"

"I've just been on a call with the Californian fire department, they need some help with a tower block fire."

"Can I go dad, please?" Tara begged as Virgil stood up from the sofa.

"Not on this one sweetheart, stay here with your grandad," he wrapped his arms around her as Scott ran over to the lamps, "we'll be back later. Kayo?"

"Coming."

Jeff walked into the room, "rescue boys?"

"Yep. Dad, could you look after Tara please?"

"Of course."

Gordon, who was now twenty eight, skipped down the steps, "John filled me in, I'm coming too. I've told Alan to tag along."

Virgil smiled, "the more the merrier."

The ships took off and set course for California, Scott called in everyone on board Thunderbird 2 and Kayo in Shadow and they smiled back at him.

"Just the top floor, think you can handle it, Virgil?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well I sometimes worry about you, being a dad and all."

Kayo coughed loudly, "ahem and I'm a mother, who is still fully capable of evacuating a whole building I might add. Gordon is a dad too."

Gordon grinned, "certainly am, I just wish I could see my daughter more often."

"How did you both manage to get girls? I still can't get my head around it."

Kayo smiled, "I'm glad I did, I'm teaching her everything. So when we retire she'll be the one flying Thunderbird Shadow."

"Why not Thunderbird 2?" Virgil asked ignoring his brothers' sniggers.

"It'll be her choice but that's my preference."

"Scott, you're awfully quiet, what's up?" Gordon asked.

Alan raised an eyebrow, "I know that look, spit it out."

"I'll tell you after the mission, okay?"

"We could always have another kid and they can take Thunderbird 2?" Kayo suggested.

"There'd be quite an age gap between them."

Alan smiled, "there are nine years between Scott and me."

"And three brothers between in the meantime!" Gordon grinned at him, "we had to go first."

Virgil smiled as he felt Thunderbird 2 purr, "I'm just not ready to give her up, even to my own child."

Gordon looked over at him, "you'll know when it's the right time. Step on it, or Scott will get all the action."

"Firing afterburners, now."

The mission went smoothly and minus a few cuts and ash on faces everyone was okay, Scott called in after cleaning himself up as best he could and smiled at Virgil.

"I'm stopping off at home."

"Home?"

"My non-island home. I've been keeping this a secret for the past five years and don't ask me why. It was for protection mainly."

Kayo sighed, "Scott, what is it?"

"I need to see my daughters."

"Daughter-s?" Gordon choked, "more than one!?"

Scott nodded, "twins."

Virgil smiled, "congratulations big brother, but we're going with you and taking you back to see dad, this news may just make him cry."

"Hang on then," Gordon pulled the second wheel down and plotted in a course, "Sorry Virgil but in that case, we're picking up Penelope and Violet."

"Fine but give me back control," Virgil ordered and his brother reluctantly slid the wheel back, "thank you."

Scott smiled, "I'll meet up again soon, see you at the ranch."

"Not that ranch of course," Kayo smirked, "see you later."

"Wow, he's had kids for five years and didn't tell us," Alan shook his head, "surely he's visited?"

"I'm sure he has, but to keep it secret all these years, I don't understand."

Kayo brought shadow up alongside Thunderbird 2, "protection, like he said, we still have people after our organisation and ships. The best thing we, who are as parents, is to keep our families safe," she smiled across at Virgil who caught her eye, "I'll see you guys at home."

"Kiss Tara for me."

"FAB."

Scott landed at a cottage on the Devonshire coast and two girls ran over to the ship, one had hair as brown as his and the other jet black like his brother's, he leapt down to the ground and wrapped his arms around them as they knocked the air out of him, "whoa, hey girls."

"You brought her!" The black haired girl grinned up at Thunderbird 1.

"Well she's better than your mum isn't she?" Scott smirked as his wife joined them, "hey Nina."

"Scott, you look like hell, another mission?"

"And I love you too."

"Dad we made cookies!"

"Well, how about you make your poor father a coffee Hayley, and I'll have one of those cookies, Raven."

"Okay daddy!"

Scott watched them run back to the house as he locked up Thunderbird 1, "they know how to make coffee, right?"

Nina laughed, "they're almost six, yes," she wrapped her arm around his waist, "you're in uniform and covered in dust which suggests you're not staying for long."

"Your powers of deduction amaze me. Get packing, I'm taking you guys to meet my brothers and my dad."

Nina stopped, "really?"

"Yes, our girls have cousins and they deserve to meet them. I'll get cleaned up."

Nina ran after him, "okay we'll get packing."

Gordon ran over to the mansion and a girl with blonde hair as bright as Penelope's ran down the steps, "there she is."

Virgil smiled as his brother lifted the girl into his arms, "she's grown."

Penelope walked down the steps, "Gordon," she hugged him then looked round to Alan and Virgil, "and we have brothers."

"Uncle Virgil!" Violet squeaked happily as she threw her arms around him, "did you bring me sweets?"

Virgil grinned at her as he knelt down, "in Thunderbird 2."

Penelope smiled at her daughter as she walked back to her, "this is an unexpected visit, what are you guys doing here?"

"Taking you to the island," Gordon smiled.

"Really?"

"Yep, Scott has a surprise, so you guys ready?"

"The island?" Violet asked, "can I go swimming?"

"Not in the sea, but there's a pool," Gordon pinched her cheek gently.

Violet laughed, "daddy, get off."

Alan smirked at Virgil, "I can't believe Gordon has a child."

"I know, come on let's get the ship ready," Virgil squeezed Alan's shoulder, "hey guys, half an hour then we're out of here!"

Jeff stood up from the desk where he had been playing chequers with Tara and watched Thunderbird 1 land, Kayo walked into the lounge and caught her daughter in her arms.

"How was the mission Kayo?"

"It was fine, a little smokey but no-one is hurt," she placed a kiss on Tara's head, "how far away is Thunderbird 2?"

John smiled as he stood up from the armchair he had been lounging in behind Jeff's desk, "she's ten minutes away."

"John! Ha, I didn't see you there, sorry."

John smirked, "no offence taken."

"Let's get some snacks while we wait for your father," Kayo pushed her daughter towards the stairs gently, "I'll join you in a bit, and..." a jet black haired girl ran into the room followed by a girl with chestnut coloured hair, "and who is this?"

Scott walked into the room, "hey Kayo."

"Scott, are these your children?" Jeff asked as the girls clutched his jacket as they hung back.

"And meet my wife, Nina," Scott smiled as a woman took his hand, "sorry we kept them secret. This is Raven and Hayley."

Jeff smiled friendlily, "more grandchildren."

Scott rested his head against his wife's, "it was for protection."

"Let's go down to the kitchen and make drinks as we wait for Virgil to return," he offered his hand to Nina, "Jeff Tracy."

"Nina Gilbert, of course now it's Tracy, pleased to meet you."

Thunderbird 2 landed and the remaining members of the family met up in the kitchen, Virgil looked out at the pool where his daughter was playing in the water with Scott's twins and Gordon's daughter, "how old are they?"

Scott smiled as he held a mug of coffee in his hands, "six next week, secrecy was the best option with the Hood still at large."

Kayo nodded as Virgil sat down beside her, "and he was right to."

Nina frowned, "are they safe now?"

Jeff cleared his throat, "I won't let anything happen to my children or their children."

"Can you promise that dad?" Scott asked.

"You've never doubted me Scott."

Penelope rested her hand on Gordon's, "when they're all old enough they'll take the business on."

Scott frowned, "they'll fight over Thunderbird 1."

"They're not related, what do we do about that?" Alan asked immediately earning glares from the parents in the room.

"That wasn't kind," Virgil narrowed his eyes as he spotted Scott's wife tense, "none of them are even ten yet, we've still got another five or so years to run the business ourselves and that's the way it's going to be."

Nina nodded, "Scott has told me everything to know about this business, the kids will choose whether or not they become International Rescue."

Penelope looked around as their daughter ran into the kitchen followed by Virgil's, "had fun did we? Sweetheart, you're getting water all over the floor."

"Sorry mummy."

Gordon smiled broadly, "water doesn't harm floors. I think it's time for a game of water Marco Polo."

Jeff stacked the mugs up into the dishwasher with Scott's help as he looked out to the pool where some of his family were gathered, the sound of the piano accompanied the laughter and he smiled at Scott, "do you think they all will join the business?"

Scott shrugged, "I want Raven to, but I think Nina wants Hayley to go into a different line of business, she has a flair for creativity."

"Like Virgil?"

"No, more like John, an author."

Jeff turned to walk up to the lounge, "five years Scott, and you didn't ever think to tell your own father you had twins."

"I was so worried about secrecy, I want to keep them safe at least until they're a little older."

Jeff rounded the corner into the lounge casting an eye over to the piano where Virgil was playing for his daughter sat on his knee, "I know I pressured you all into becoming International Rescue, I want this to be your choice, all of you. Think about the future, if your girls want to be something else let them be, I still feel guilty that Virgil never became a concert pianist."

Scott smiled, "he loves Thunderbird 2, dad, he doesn't want to give her up not even to Tara," he looked over at the piano where Tara was pressing notes down for Virgil, "don't worry about us, I'll make it work, I promise," he held his father's arm in a reassuring grip then smiled, "do we have enough rooms for us all to stay the night?"

Jeff chuckled, "let's go and see shall we?"


End file.
